The giant Tbm tunnel boring machine, known as “Martina,” has completed its work underground between Lonato and Desenzano. After excavating for almost 10 kilometers over four years, the 1,750-ton and 150-meter-long machine is currently being dismantled at the Tav construction site in Desenzano.
Once the dismantling is complete, the tunnel boring machine will be returned to the Chinese manufacturer, China Railway Engineering Group, as specified in the contract. “Martina” was put into operation in Lonato in October 2020 and reached the end of the first tunnel in September two years ago. It was then dismantled and reassembled for the excavation of the second tunnel, which was completed on February 21 of this year.
The natural tunnel is part of the “Sistema Lonato,” an 7.95-kilometer system that includes entrance and exit trenches of 265 and 122 meters, respectively, and artificial tunnels at both ends. Currently, work is underway to complete the system.
During its work, the tunnel boring machine excavated the underground of the morainic hills for almost 10 kilometers, removing over 800,000 cubic meters of excavation material. In the coming months, eleven bypasses, connecting tunnels between the two tunnels, will be constructed, as well as niches for technological installations. The railway infrastructure and technological components will also be completed.
The journey of “Martina” has not been without obstacles. Problems arose from the tender for the works, with the first bid being unsuccessful in 2019 and the second being awarded with only one offer at the minimum discount. The contract was awarded to Seli Overseas for 206 million euros, making it the most expensive contract on the entire Brescia Est-Verona route.
During the excavation of the first tunnel in 2022, there was a ground collapse in San Cipriano di Lonato, resulting in four injured workers and a 34-meter sinkhole. In November of last year, significant amounts of foam material used in the excavation overwhelmed a farmhouse in San Cipriano, submerging the swimming pool, garden, and historic vineyard.
Other issues have also been reported, such as the partial draining of a water table between the Tiracollo hills and the nearby industrial zone. Despite these setbacks, work on the Brescia Est-Verona route continues unabated. Currently, completion is at 63% (instead of the expected 67%), and the opening is scheduled for June 2026. Only then will we be able to assess the usefulness of the project.
