A New Step Towards Europe: TBM Flavia Completes Mechanized Excavation of the BBT on the Italian Side
15/05/2025 - 14:31
At the BBT construction site "H61 Mules 2-3", the last Italian TBM successfully completes the excavation of the west main tunnel. Authorities were present to mark an extremely significant milestone in the largest lot of the BBT project.
Mules, 15 May 2025
On 2 May 2025, at the BBT construction site "H61 Mules 2-3", the last Italian TBM successfully completed the excavation of the west main tunnel, marking a historic milestone in the largest lot of the BBT project. The presence of Italian, Austrian, and European authorities at today’s celebration highlighted the importance of this achievement for the future of cross-border mobility.
Everyone in attendance was able to celebrate this highly anticipated milestone, starting with the TBM operators who guided Flavia on her journey through the heart of the Alps. Their invaluable work will bring tangible benefits in terms of efficiency and environmental sustainability. One clear example is the production and installation of the tunnel segments: TBM Flavia alone installed as many as 65,000.
These prefabricated concrete segments, which make-up the final lining of the tunnel, were produced by reusing material excavated from the tunnel itself—enabling a reuse rate of 30% and making the construction process a prime example of circular economy.
Before Flavia, two other TBMs had already reached the national border. Serena, the TBM that excavated most of the exploratory tunnel on the Italian side, reached the Brenner Pass in November 2021. Virginia, Flavia’s “twin sister”, arrived at the Brenner in March 2023. And finally, Flavia: in total, the three TBMs heading toward the Brenner excavated nearly 43 km.
Only a few meters of traditional excavation remain to complete works on the Italian side, and more generally, over 85% of all excavation work on the BBT has already been completed.
