China Develops Xianglong Tunnel Boring Machine

China unveiled Xianglong, a self-developed boring and blasting machine, in Wuhan on 2 August 2026. The machine has a diameter of 4.5 metres and was developed jointly by Tsinghua University and a subsidiary of the state-owned China Railway Group. It is a hybrid tunnelling system that combines mechanical excavation with drilling and blasting for hard rock conditions.

Tunnel Boring Machines

Tunnel boring machines are mechanised systems used to excavate tunnels with circular cross-sections. They are used in metro projects, hydropower tunnels, railway tunnels, and road tunnels. Conventional tunnel boring machines work best in stable ground, while hard rock and fractured formations often require drilling and blasting methods.

Hybrid Tunnelling Systems

A hybrid tunnelling system combines machine excavation with controlled blasting in the same project or machine design. Such systems are used in complex geological formations where pure mechanical cutting faces limits. Xianglong was designed for extremely hard rock formations and is expected to improve tunnelling efficiency through hard rock by 30 per cent compared with traditional methods.

Industrial and Project Context

Xianglong was built with a domestic supply chain to reduce dependence on imported equipment. The machine rolled off the production line in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, and its first trial is planned for a pumped-storage hydropower project in Henan province. The project is being developed by a subsidiary of the state-owned Power Construction Corporation of China.

Important Facts for Exams

• Tsinghua University is one of China’s leading public research universities, founded in 1911 in Beijing.
• China Railway Group is a major state-owned enterprise involved in railway and infrastructure construction.
• Pumped-storage hydropower is a form of energy storage that uses two reservoirs at different elevations.
• Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province and a major industrial city in central China.

Underground Engineering Equipment

Underground engineering equipment includes tunnel boring machines, roadheaders, drilling rigs, and blasting systems. China has expanded domestic manufacturing in high-end infrastructure equipment, including tunnelling systems for rail, hydropower, and urban transport projects.