A New System to Evaluate Comprehensive Performance of Hard-Rock Tunnel Boring Machine Cutterheads

Abstract

The accurate performance evaluation of a cutterhead is essential to improving cutterhead structure design and predicting project cost. Through extensive research, this paper evaluates the performance of a tunnel boring machine (TBM) cutterhead for cutting ability and slagging ability. This paper propose cutting efficiency, stability, and continuity of slagging as the evaluation indexes of comprehensive cutterhead performance. On the basis of research of true TBM engineering applications, this paper proposes a calculation method for each index. A slagging efficiency index with a ratio of the maximum difference between the slagging amount and average slagging is established. And a slagging stability index with a ratio of the maximum slagging fluctuation and average slagging is presented. Meanwhile, a cutting efficiency index by the weighed average value of multistage rock fragmentation of a cutter's specific energy is established. The Robbins and China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) cutterheads are evaluated. The results show that under the same thrust and torque, the slagging stability of the CRCC scheme is worse, but the slagging continuity of the CRCC scheme is better. The cutting ability index shows that the CRCC cutterhead is more efficient.

Research on a ø6m TBM Steel Arch Splicing Manipulator

“…All screws on the closed-loop mechanism must be linearly related, so that 1 0 g j j j     $ (7) where   1,2, , j jg   L is the motion velocity of the jth joint of the closed-loop mechanism, and they are not all zero. j $ is the motion screw of the jth joint.…”

“…Generally known as a large-scale equipment, Hard Rock Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) is specially applied to conduct the tunnel excavation inside hard rock [1][2][3][4].With the functions of excavating, slagging and supporting, TBM is also widely adopted in the field of hard rock excavation [5][6][7]. The construction of TBM would unavoidably destroy the initial in-situ stress state of the surrounding rock in the original stratum, resulting in redistribution of stress in the surrounding rock which would lead to the deformation, destruction or even collapse of the surrounding rock [8,9].…”