• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.1-12
• /
• 2021

In the design of a tunnel boring machine (TBM), the excavation efficiency of the equipment depends on the design of the cutter head, which is directly in contact with the ground. Especially, the allocation of disc cutter is crucial issue. Disc cutters can be divided into center cutter zone, inner cutter zone and transition cutter zone depending on where they are placed. Many studies have been conducted to identify optimal cutting conditions for face cutters. However, research to determine the optimal cutting conditions for the transition cutter has been relatively incomplete. In this study, to identify the optimal cutting conditions for the transition cutter, numerical analysis using discrete element method was performed, and the specific energy curve according to the angle between the transition cutters was drawn to find out the optimum cutting conditions. The results show that the angle between the transition cutters showing minimum specific energy in the transition cutter zone is 9°. Transition cutter zone was divided into three sections according to the slope angle of the transition cutter. It is also found that, the greater the slope angle of the transition cutter. This finding shows good agreement with the present design of transition cutter zone.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.501-513
• /
• 2020

Cutter cutting tests for the cutter placement in the cutter head are being conducted through various studies. Although the cutter spacing at the minimum specific energy is mainly reflected in the cutter head design, since the optimum cutter spacing at the same cutter penetration depth varies depending on the rock conditions, studies on deciding the optimum cutter spacing should be actively conducted. The machine learning techniques such as the decision tree-based regression model and the SVM regression model were applied to predict the optimum cutter spacing ratio for the nonlinear relationship between cutter penetration depth and cutter spacing. Since the decision tree-based methods are greatly influenced by the number of data, SVM regression predicted optimum cutter spacing ratio according to the penetration depth more accurately and it is judged that the SVM regression will be effectively used to decide the cutter spacing when designing the cutter head if a large amount of data of the optimum cutter spacing ratio according to the penetration depth is accumulated.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.13 no.6
• /
• pp.531-555
• /
• 2011

This study aims to derive the statistical models for the estimation of the required specifications of a rock TBM as well as for its cutterhead design suitable for a given rock mass condition. From a series of multi-variate regression analysis of 871 TBM driving data and 51 linear rock cutting test results, the optimum models were newly proposed to consider a variety of rock properties and mechanical cutting conditions. When the derived models were applied to two domestic shield tunnels, their predictions of cutter penetration depth, cutter acting forces and cutter spacing were very close to real TBM driving data, showing their high applicability.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.573-584
• /
• 2014

In this study, the variations of cutter acting forces depending on cutting conditions were examined to obtain basic data for roadheader cutting head design. The linear cutting tests were performed in the condition of different attack angles, penetration depths, cutter spacings by using a slim conical pick for the light cutting condition. Cutter acting forces were measured by 3-directional load cell under different test conditions, and the analysis for cutting performance were carried out after calculating average values of the measured results. It is confirmed that the optimal cutting condition for the mortar specimen is the 50 degree attack angle, the cutter spacing of 12 mm, the cutting depth of 9 mm which are obtained from the analysis results. In addition, 50 degree attack angle is more effective than 45 degree attack angle to design optimal specifications of cutting head.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.457-471
• /
• 2015

A domestic cutterhead with the diameter of 3.6 m was designed and manufactured in this study. Then, it was attached to an existing earth-pressure balanced shield TBM to excavate a cable tunnel with the length of 1,275 m. Especially, the procedures for TBM cutterhead design and its corresponding performance prediction were also summarized. From field data analyses of the refurbished shield TBM, its maximum advance rate was recorded as 14.4 m/day. Penetration depths of disc cutters were found to be approximately 4 mm/rev, which is equal to the maximum penetration depth designed for the strongest rock strength condition in the target tunnel. Every TBM operating thrust and cutter normal force during TBM driving was much smaller than their corresponding maximum capacities. When cutter acting forces recorded in the field were analyzed, their prediction errors by the CSM model were very high for weak rock conditions. In addition, rock strength showed very close relationships with cutter normal force and penetration depth.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Rock Mechanics Conference
• /
• 2006.09a
• /
• pp.59-79
• /
• 2006

The successful execution of shield tunnelling depends on the cutting ability of cutter. So the selection of shape, size and material of cutter according to geology condition is important work. Since shield tunnelling method was first invented in 1881, the cutting tool for rock has been developed owing to various experiments and researches, the study for soil, however, is insufficient. This paper introduces the shield tunnelling that will be carried out on weathered rock section (920m) of Seoul Subway Line 7 Extension C703. The shape and the material of cutter are discussed required for execution without replacement of cutter tool as well as for advance of excavation efficiency. In addition the estimation method of cutter abrasion in case of excavation on weathered soil is proposed and verified. Specially, the coefficient of abrasion for different soil and cutter is proposed by means of investigation into construction example of foreign country.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.67-76
• /
• 2012

This study is a research about cutter bits arrangement of shield-TBM and carried out a scale model test and numerical analysis according to a space of cutter bits. A cutter head pressures and an advance time are measured to be followed by the space of cutter bits with an advance speed through the scale model test. We conducted the numerical analysis to verify the result of the scale model test, and to compare with the scale model test. There are three cases of space : unification 1.0D and 1.5D. In case TBM is excavated and space is 1.0D, the advance speed is much faster than the other cases, and pressure of face of ground deformation and cutter head is maintained stably. If additional researches about bits arrangement of cutter head of sand ground based on the result of this research are performed, substantial results may be obtained.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.161-172
• /
• 2014

An earth pressure balanced shield TBM with the diameter of 4.4 m was designed and manufactured for a subsea discharge tunnel excavation. Its cutterhead was designed to be optimized for the strongest rock mass condition in the tunnel alignment, and then the applicability of the refurbished shield TBM was validated for its maximum capacity. Especially, the maximum cutter penetration depth for the strongest rock mass condition should be kept to be below 7 mm/rev in order to satisfy the allowable capacities of the shield TBM. From the analysis of TBM advance data, approximately 95% of field data showed the cutter penetration depth below 7 mm/rev. In addition, it was certified that the acting forces of every disc cutter, TBM thrust and torque during TBM driving were within the allowable capacities of the shield TBM and its disc cutters. When real acting forces of the disc cutters in the field were compared with those predicted by the CSM model, they showed the close relationships with each other even though the predictions by the CSM model were approximately 22~25% higher than field data.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.225-235
• /
• 2013

Cutter forces acting on a disc cutter in TBM are the key parameters for TBM design and its performance prediction. This study aimed to experimentally evaluate cutter forces with different ring shapes in a hard rock. The stiffness of a cutter ring was indirectly estimated from a series of full-scale linear cutting tests. From the experiments, it was verified that the rolling stress acting on a V-shape disc cutter was much higher than on a CCS disc cutter even though the penetration depth by a V-shape disc cutter could be increased in the same cutting condition. Finally, it is suggested that a prediction model considering the shape parameters of a disc cutter should be used for its better prediction.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.553-581
• /
• 2022

Shortly after tunnel boring machine (TBM) was introduced in the tunneling industry, the use of TBM has surprisingly increased worldwide due to its performance together with the benefit of being safely and environmentally friendly. One of the main cost items in the TBM tunneling in rock and soil is changing damaged or worn cutters. It is because that the cutter change is a time-consuming and costly activity that can significantly reduce the TBM utilization and advance rate and has a major effect on the total time and cost of TBM tunneling projects. Therefore, the importance of accurately evaluating the cutter life can never be overemphasized. However, the prediction of cutter wear in soil, rock including mixed face is very complex and not yet fully clarified, subsequently keeping engineers busy around the world. Various prediction models for cutter wear have been developed and introduced, but these models almost usually produce highly variable results due to inherent uncertainties in the models. In this study, a case study of design and construction of disc cutter change is introduced and analyzed, rather than proposing a prediction model of cutter wear. As the disc cutter is strongly affected by the geological condition, TBM machine characteristic and operation, authors believe it is very hard to suggest a generalized prediction model given the uncertainties and limitations therefore it would be more practical to analyze a real case and provide a detailed discussion of the difference between prediction and result for the cutter change. By doing so, up-to-date idea about planning and execution of cutter change in practice can be promoted.