Intelligent wet shotcrete machines help build the "African Three Gorges" – Africa's largest hydropower project under construction.

Here is a real case study from Angola.

The Caculo Cabaça Hydropower Project sits on the Kwanza River, the largest river in Angola. It is the largest hydropower project under construction in Africa. People call it the "African Three Gorges." A Chinese contractor is building it. It is a strategic national project for Angola.

The project involves massive underground chambers. The powerhouse. Diversion tunnels. Tailrace systems. The scale is huge. The need for sprayed concrete support is enormous. Quality and efficiency requirements are high.

Beijun Group provided a customized wet shotcrete machine solution for this project. Here is what they delivered.

The Challenge – Complex Underground Chambers and Tight Spaces

Complex underground chambers. The project has multiple caverns and tunnels. The powerhouse. Diversion tunnels. Construction adits. Tailrace tunnels. Different sizes. Different shapes. Dispersed work faces.

Tight spaces. Some tunnels are extremely small. As narrow as 2.5 meters wide. As low as 3.2 meters high. Standard wet shotcrete machines cannot fit. Even if they fit, their booms cannot unfold in such tight spaces.

High quality standards. This is a large-scale hydropower project. The initial support work has strict requirements. Compressive strength. Thickness uniformity. Low rebound rate. Traditional dry shotcrete cannot meet the standards.

Logistics and support challenges. Angola is in southwest Africa. Equipment shipping takes time. After-sales support faces distance and time zone challenges. The project needed a supplier that could support them remotely and effectively.

The Beijun Solution – Intelligent Wet Shotcrete Machines, Customized

Beijun Group provided a customized wet shotcrete machine package for the complex conditions at Caculo Cabaça.

Main equipment: Beijun intelligent wet shotcrete machine.

Sliding arm base. The arm base slides 3.4 meters. One positioning covers a larger spraying area. That means less machine repositioning. Faster slope and tunnel wall coverage. Higher efficiency.

Dual-turntable boom arm. The design allows precise positioning. Easy operation. The boom can follow the tunnel profile precisely. No blind spots. Full coverage. And here is the key: it can fully unfold in tunnels as small as 3.2 meters high and 2.5 meters wide. Those are industry-leading specifications for tight-space operation.

Large accelerator tank. The machine features a 2,000-liter accelerator tank. That is the largest in the industry. It allows continuous operation. Less downtime for refilling. Higher productivity.

Smart control system. The intelligent electronic control system precisely controls spray thickness and accelerator dosage. This reduces rebound rate. Ensures consistent support quality. Less waste. Better results.

Dual power drive system. The machine has dual power capability. Adapts to different power supply conditions on site. Ensures continuous 24-hour operation.

Remote service support. Beijun relied on its overseas service network. Technical staff provided video guidance. They helped local operators learn machine operation. Troubleshooted issues remotely. Kept the project moving despite the distance.

Implementation Results

The Beijun wet shotcrete machines have been working at Caculo Cabaça for some time. The results are clear.

Efficient operation in complex chambers. The machines operate in multiple work faces. Powerhouse. Diversion tunnels. Tailrace tunnels. The ultra-compact unfolding dimensions and flexible boom design allow efficient wet shotcrete in tight spaces where mechanical spraying was previously impossible. Labor intensity for manual spraying has been greatly reduced. Safety has improved.

Consistent, reliable spray quality. The machines have been operating efficiently and steadily. Sprayed concrete strength and thickness uniformity meet engineering design standards. The project construction team has given strong approval.

Repeat order. The first machine performed so well that the project team ordered a second unit. That is the strongest proof of satisfaction.

Effective remote support. Beijun's team overcame the distance and time zone challenges of inland Africa. Through online technical guidance and on-site training, they ensured the equipment operated reliably in the overseas environment.

Client Testimonial

"Beijun's wet shotcrete machine has exceeded our expectations at the Caculo Cabaça project. Especially in those tight construction adits where standard equipment can't fit or unfold, Beijun's machine works freely in tunnels just over 3 meters high. Spray quality and efficiency are very stable. We have already ordered a second unit." – Caculo Cabaça Hydropower Project Equipment Management Team

What This Means for Other Projects

If you are working on a large underground project with complex chamber layouts, here is what I think you should consider.

Look for confined-space capability. The Caculo Cabaça project needed equipment that could work in tunnels as small as 3.2m × 2.5m. Beijun's boom design meets that requirement. Ask about minimum unfolding dimensions before you buy.

Consider the whole package. It is not just the machine. It is the accelerator tank capacity for continuous operation. The control system for consistent quality. The dual power for site flexibility. Beijun delivered all of these.

Remote support matters. In Africa, you cannot always get a technician on site quickly. Video guidance and online training are essential. Ask suppliers about their remote support capability.

Customization is worth it. Beijun worked with the project team to configure the right machine for the specific conditions. Off-the-shelf equipment would not have worked. Customization paid off.

Beijun Group manufactures wet shotcrete machines, underground dump trucks, rock drilling jumbos, and a full range of mining and construction equipment. Contact us to learn more about how we can support your projects.

Contact Beijun Group

Email: beijun@beijun-group.com
   Phone: +86 17854788133
   Website: www.beijun-group.com