Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu noted that the Sarıyer-Kilyos Tunnel is the first project in which the tunnel boring machine TBM is used on highways. Minister Uraloğlu said, “Our machine is the 1rd largest TBM in Turkey with a diameter of 13,65 meters after the İzmir YHT line T-3 Tunnel and the Avrasya Tunnel. When the project is completed, travel time will be reduced to 5 minutes, and we will save a total of 2,1 billion liras annually.”
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu spoke at the Sarıyer-Kilyos Tunnel TBM Machine Commissioning Ceremony. Minister Uraloğlu stated that the TBM machine will be used for the first time under the responsibility of the General Directorate of Highways in Turkey, and said, “Although Turkey’s geography has a rich diversity, the fact that it is predominantly mountainous terrain is both a challenge for the construction sector and a situation that necessitates the development of innovative solutions.”
“TBM is a technology used in digging long tunnels”
Stating that construction in mountainous regions is a more costly and time-consuming process compared to flat lands, Uraloğlu said, “Factors such as more detailed ground surveys, more meticulous blasting and excavation work, and transportation difficulties increase the cost of projects. However, Turkey’s growing economy and developing urbanization require construction activities to continue despite these difficulties. At this point, the importance of mechanical excavation of tunnels with TBM, or Tunnel Boring Machines, is increasing. TBM is an extremely effective technology used in the excavation of long tunnels, especially in residential areas.”
Uraloğlu, who also reminded that December 5th is World Engineers Day, said, “On this occasion, I would like to congratulate all my colleagues who shape the future of our country on Engineers Day. Our engineers are the people who transform scientific knowledge into practical solutions, increase the quality of life of humanity, implement technological developments and transform the world. Look, while the topographic structure of our country creates serious difficulties, especially in transportation and infrastructure projects, it also offers an important experience base in the field of engineering.”
Türkiye is Home to Engineering Marvels
Uraloğlu said that the geography of Türkiye is home to many engineering wonders and continued his words as follows:
“During the period of our AK Party governments under the leadership of our President; our projects such as Marmaray, Eurasia Tunnel, Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge have joined the symbolic projects of our country with their superior engineering techniques. Again, our 2 Çanakkale Bridge, which has the title of the longest mid-span suspension bridge in the world with its 23 thousand 1915-meter central span, is another engineering marvel. The Eğiste Hadimi Viaduct, which is the highest-pier and longest balanced cantilever bridge in our country built on 8 central and 2 side piers, is one of the masterpieces of our Turkish engineers. The Bitlis Stream Viaduct, which is the first bridge in the world to be completed with holding and pushing steel orthotropic box section, is the design work of our engineers.”
“We Export Engineering to the World”
Uraloğlu also underlined that the Gayrettepe-Istanbul Airport Metro Line, a project of firsts and greatest, is a product of Turkish technique and engineering from the construction phase to the electrification and signaling phase. Uraloğlu said, “In the Zigana Tunnel, which is the longest double-tube highway tunnel in our country and Europe and the 3rd longest in the world, in the Pirinkayalar Tunnel connecting Turkey to the Caucasus, and in the Salarha Tunnel, which has been a 70-year dream of Rize, there is great determination and effort from our Turkish engineers and workers. The difficult geography of our country has developed us a lot in the field of construction with innovative and large projects, and today, the structures built by our Turkish contracting companies both domestically and abroad have raised our country to the level of exporting engineering to the world.”
“We Are Crossing Another Threshold by Starting the TBM Excavation”
Minister Uraloğlu stated that these projects are also symbols of a nation’s determination, diligence and belief in the future and said, “Today, we are crossing a new threshold by starting the TBM excavation in the Sarıyer Kilyos Tunnel, which is one of these symbols. This tunnel will not only bring two points together, but will also strengthen the transportation network of Istanbul and our country, contribute to economic development and increase the quality of life of our citizens.”
“The total length of our project including connecting roads is 8,2 kilometers.”
Reminding that they started the construction of the tunnel in May 2022, Uraloğlu said, “Our project, which is approximately 7 kilometers long, has 2 lanes in and 2 lanes in, and is constructed as a double-tube, 14 kilometers in total, with a bituminous hot mixture coating, is 8,2 kilometers in total, including the connecting roads. Our project, which starts from the Sarıyer Çayırbaşı Tunnel exit and ends at the KMO Uskumruköy Modern Roundabout, includes a total of 2 different-level intersections, 198 viaduct of 1 meters, 2 Open-Cover structures and 1 culvert.”
“We planned to build 62 percent of our tunnel with TBM”
Minister Uraloğlu noted that they used both the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) and the tunnel boring machine (TBM) methods, which they will start working on today, in order to complete the construction of the tunnel in the shortest time possible, and made the following remarks:
“We planned to build 38 percent of our tunnel with NATM and 62 percent with TBM. In the excavation work in the tunnel, we have made progress of 2 meters in total, 511 meters in the right tube and 2 meters in the left tube, or 18 percent. We assembled the TBM parts, which are 4 meters high, 529 meters wide, 33 meters long and weighing 2 tons, approximately 26 kilometers inwards in the direction of Sarıyer in the northern portal of the tunnel, namely the left tube.”
Conveyor Belt System with 2 Thousand Ton Carrying Capacity was Installed
Uraloğlu, who stated that they also established a conveyor belt system with a width of 1,2 meters, a length of 7,2 kilometers and a carrying capacity of 2 thousand tons per hour for the transportation of the waste material to be extracted as a result of TBM excavations outside the tunnel, said, “Sarıyer-Kilyos Tunnel is the first project where a tunnel boring machine was used under the responsibility of the General Directorate of Highways. This machine of ours also has the distinction of being the 1rd largest TBM among the TBMs used in Turkey with a diameter of 13,65 meters, after the T-3 tunnel connecting Eşme and Salihli districts within the scope of the İzmir High Speed Train Line and the Avrasya Tunnel known all over the world.”
It will facilitate transportation
Uraloğlu stated that the project, which will start providing free service once completed, will facilitate access from Sarıyer, Maslak and Levent regions to the Northern Marmara Highway and Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, which connect Asia and Europe and increase Turkey's transportation alternatives and trade capacity.
Uraloğlu also emphasized that fast transportation will be provided between Istanbul Airport and Istanbul's business centers through the Sarıyer-Çayırbaşı Tunnel and the Sarıyer-Kilyos Tunnel immediately following it, and said, “Those living in neighborhoods such as Kilyos, Demirciköy, Uskumruköy, Gümüşdere, Zekeriyaköy and Kısırkaya located in the north of Istanbul will be able to easily access the central areas of Istanbul via the tunnels. Thus, summer tourism activities in the north of the city will be further revived. Most importantly, the fastest access to the Northern Marmara Motorway, which is accepted as the evacuation route of Istanbul in possible major disaster situations, will also be established.”
Minister Uraloğlu once again emphasized the importance of the Sarıyer-Kilyos Tunnel project for Istanbul, which will ensure integration with the Northern Marmara Motorway in the fastest and safest way.
Travel Time Will Be Shortened by 30 Minutes
Uraloğlu, who stated that thanks to the project, they will shorten the distance by 3 kilometers compared to the current development roads and reduce the travel time from 35 minutes to 5 minutes, said, “Thus, we will save 1,7 billion liras in total annually, 400 billion liras in time and 2,1 million liras in fuel. We will also contribute to the protection of nature by reducing the carbon emission of vehicles that harm the environment by 32 thousand tons.”
