Herrenknecht TBM for Lower Thames Crossing: design and risk notes for tunnelling engineers
Reviewed by Joe Ashwell
First reported on New Civil Engineer
30 Second Briefing
Herrenknecht has been selected by National Highways to construct the tunnel-boring machine for the Lower Thames Crossing, set to be the largest TBM ever used in Europe. The machine will drive the twin-bore road tunnel beneath the River Thames, a core element of the proposed new crossing linking Kent and Essex. Geotechnical and tunnelling teams will need to plan for large-diameter mixed-face excavation, high groundwater pressures and complex interface management with segmental lining, spoil transport and surface works.
Technical Brief
- Herrenknecht’s scope is limited to TBM design and fabrication under direct award from National Highways.
- Contract award at this stage locks in TBM lead time ahead of main civils mobilisation.
- Procurement route separates TBM supply from future tunnelling contractor, forcing tight interface management on design parameters.
- Early TBM appointment allows ground investigation data to be fed directly into cutterhead and shield design.
- National Highways retains client-side control over TBM specification, reducing risk of later redesign during D&B procurement.
- Herrenknecht’s manufacturing schedule will become a critical path item for the Lower Thames Crossing programme.
Our Take
Herrenknecht’s role on the Lower Thames Crossing adds to a run of UK Thames work in our database, including National Grid’s Gravesend–Tilbury cable tunnel, signalling that the company is becoming the default supplier for large-diameter river crossings in the corridor.
Across recent coverage, Herrenknecht appears repeatedly on complex under-river and under-sea links (Panama Canal undercrossing, Hudson Tunnel Project), suggesting that National Highways is buying into a highly de-risked TBM platform for the Lower Thames Crossing rather than a one-off bespoke design.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
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