• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.179-189
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• 2024

This paper presents a geomechanical framework for designing and optimizing layout patterns of cutterheads for rock Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs), aiming to enhance their engineering performance. By examining the forces and moments exerted by rock, the study addresses geometric constraints associated with cutter boxes in key regions of the cutterhead, including the center, face, and gage areas, as well as the three-dimensional effects of cutterhead curvature on the geometric constraints of the back of the cutter boxes in the gage area. Novel formulas are proposed for determining the center points of cutter boxes and calculating both the minimum angular spacing and distance spacing between consecutive cutter boxes along a spiral path. The paper outlines an optimized layout design process for four cutterhead configurations: random, random paired, radial, and double spiral designs. Examples are provided to illustrate the results of applying these designs. The findings underscore the efficacy of the proposed methods in achieving a uniform and symmetrical distribution of cutters and buckets on the cutterhead surface. This approach effectively eliminates boundary overlap and minimizes unbalanced forces and moments. From a geomechanical standpoint, this framework offers a robust strategy for enhancing the performance and reliability of TBM cutterheads in rock tunneling operations.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.265-280
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• 2021

Population density due to urbanization is making people interested in underground space development and much interest in TBM construction with low vibration and noise. This led to a lot of research on TBM. However, research on the characteristics of the cutterhead opening of the TBM equipment being occluded under the ground conditions under which it is excavated is insufficient. Accordingly, a study was conducted to investigate clogging of the cutterhead opening during the shield TBM rolling. To identify the clogging of cutterhead openings in SHIELD TBM equipment, the reduced model experiment was divided into clay rate (10%, 30%, 50%, 60%), cutterhead opening rate (30%, 50%, 60%), and cutterhead rotation direction (one-way, two-way) and rotational speed (3 RPM) and conducted in 36 cases. Results of scale model test on shield TBM clogging, it was analyzed that the ground condition containing clay soil increased the clogging effect in both directions than the unidirectional rotation, and that the lower the rotational speed of the cutterhead, the less the clogging effect. Accordingly, the direction of cutterhead rotation, rotational speed and opening rate are calculated by taking into account ground conditions during ground excavation, the clogging effect can be reduced. It is believed to be effective in saving air as the clogging effect is reduced. Therefore, this study is expected to be an important material for domestic use of shield TBM.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.477-486
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• 2024

The process of inspecting and replacing cutting tools in a shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) is called cutterhead intervention (CHI) (Farrokh and Kim 2018). Since CHI is performed by a worker who enters the chamber in TBM, the worker is directly exposed to high water pressure and huge water inflow, especially in areas with high ground water levels, causing health problems for the worker and shortening of available working hours (Kindwall 1990). Ham et al. (2022) proposed a method of reducing the water pressure and water inflow by injecting a grout solution into the ground through the shield TBM chamber, and named it the new face grouting method (NFGM). In this study, the TBM mechanical characteristics including the injection pressure of the grout solution and the cutterhead rotation speed were determined for the best performance of the NFGM. To find the appropriate injection pressure, the water inflow volume according to the injection pressure change was measured by using a water inflow test apparatus. A model torque test apparatus was manufactured to find the appropriate cutterhead rotation speed by investigating the change in the status of the grout solution according to the rotation speed change. In addition, to prove the validity of this study, comprehensive water inflow tests were carried out. The results of the tests showed that the injection pressure equal to overburden pressure + (0.10 ~ 0.15) MPa and the cutterhead rotation speed of 0.8 to 1.0 RPM are the most appropriate. In the actual construction site, it is recommended to select an appropriate value within the proposed range while considering the economic feasibility and workability.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.129-139
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• 2018

The Discrete Element Method (DEM) has been widely used in granular material researches. Especially, if material has a large deformation, such as ground, it can be a useful method to analyze. In this study, to simulate ground formations, DEM was used. The main purpose of DEM analysis was to investigate the numerical model which can predict the TBM performance by simulating excavating procedure. The selected EPB TBM has a 7.73 m of diameter and six spokes. And two pre-defined excavation conditions with the different rotation speeds per minute (RPM) of the cutterhead was applied. In the modeled cutterhead, the open ratio of cutterhead was 21.31% and number of cutters (including disc cutter and cutter bit) was 219. From the results, reaction forces and resistant torques at the cutterhead face and cutting tools, were measured and compared. Additionally the muck discharge rate and accumulated muck discharge by the screw auger were evaluated.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.487-497
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• 2023

Penetration rate (PR) and penetration depth (Pe) are crucial parameters for estimating the cost and time required in tunnel construction using tunnel boring machines (TBMs). This study focuses on investigating the impact of rock strength on PR and Pe through full-scale experiments. By conducting controlled tests on rock-like specimens, the study aims to understand the contributions of various ground parameters and machine-operating conditions to TBM excavation performance. An earth pressure balanced (EPB) TBM with a sectional diameter of 3.54 m was utilized in the experiments. The TBM excavated rocklike specimens with varying uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), while the thrust and cutterhead rotational speed were controlled. The results highlight the significance of the interplay between thrust, cutterhead speed, and rock strength (UCS) in determining Pe. In high UCS conditions exceeding 70 MPa, thrust plays a vital role in enhancing Pe as hard rock requires a greater thrust force for excavation. Conversely, in medium-to-low UCS conditions less than 50 MPa, thrust has a weak relationship with Pe, and Pe becomes directly proportional to the cutterhead rotational speed. Furthermore, a strong correlation was observed between Pe and cutterhead torque with a determination coefficient of 0.84. Based on these findings, a predictive model for Pe is proposed, incorporating thrust, TBM diameter, number of disc cutters, and UCS. This model offers a practical tool for estimating Pe in different excavation scenarios. The study presents unprecedented full-scale TBM excavation results, with well-controlled experiments, shedding light on the interplay between rock strength, TBM operational variables, and excavation performance. These insights are valuable for optimizing TBM excavation in grounds with varying strengths and operational conditions.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.73-84
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• 2024

Owing to the high strength and abrasive characteristics of cobble-boulders, cutters are easily worn and damaged during shield tunneling, making construction inefficient. In the present work, the stress on the ripper and scraper on the cutterhead was analyzed by the PFC3D-FLAC3D coupling model of shield tunneling to get insight into the performance of the cutterhead for cutting underground cobble and boulders. The numerical calculation results revealed that the increase in trajectory radius leads to a rising stress on the cutters, and the stress on the front cutting surface is greater than that on the back of the cutters. Moreover, the correlation between cutter wear and stress is revealed based on field measurement data. The distribution of the cutter stress is consistent with the cutter wear and breakage characteristics in actual construction, in which more extensive cutter stress is exhibited, extreme cutter wear appears, and more cutter breakage occurs. Finally, the relationship between the cutterhead opening area's layout and cutter wear distribution was investigated, indicating that the cutter wear extent is the most severe in the region where the radial opening ratio dropped sharply.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.197-211
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• 2024

This research studies the effect of geotechnical factors on EPB-TBM performance parameters. The modeling was performed using simple and multivariate linear regression methods, artificial neural networks (ANNs), and Sugeno fuzzy logic (SFL) algorithm. In ANN, 80% of the data were randomly allocated to training and 20% to network testing. Meanwhile, in the SFL algorithm, 75% of the data were used for training and 25% for testing. The coefficient of determination (R²) obtained between the observed and estimated values in this model for the thrust force and cutterhead torque was 0.19 and 0.52, respectively. The results showed that the SFL outperformed the other models in predicting the target parameters. In this method, the R² obtained between observed and predicted values for thrust force and cutterhead torque is 0.73 and 0.63, respectively. The sensitivity analysis results show that the internal friction angle (φ) and standard penetration number (SPT) have the greatest impact on thrust force. Also, earth pressure and overburden thickness have the highest effect on cutterhead torque.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.163-176
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• 2017

The Discrete Element Method (DEM) has been widely used in civil engineering as well as various industrial fields to simulate granular materials. In this study, DEM was adopted to predict the performance of the face plate-type earth pressure balance (EPB) shield TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine). An analysis of the TBM excavation performance was conducted according to two pre-defined excavation conditions with the different rotation speeds per minute (RPM) of the cutterhead. The TBM model which was used in this study has a 6.64 m of diameter and six spokes. Also, 37 precutters and 98 scrapers at an each spoke were modeled with a real-scale specification. From the analysis, compressive forces at the cutterhead face, shield and cutting tools, resistant torques at the cutterhead face, muck discharge rate and accumulated muck discharge by the screw auger were measured and compared.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.478-490
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• 2022

TBM disc cutter, which is the main cutting tool of tunnel boring machine (TBM), is replaced when it is excessively worn during the boring process. Disc cutters are usually monitored by workers at cutterhead chamber, and they check the status and wear amount of cutters. Because cutterhead chamber is usually in dangerous circumstance due to high pressure and instability of excavation surface, the measurement by manpower occasionally results in inaccuracy of measurement result. In order to overcome the limitations, the real-time disc cutter monitoring techniques have been developed in some foreign countries. This paper collected the current status of disc cutter monitoring system from the literature. Several types of sensors are used to measure the cutter wear, and it is believed that the collected information can be useful reference when similar domestic technologies are developed in the future.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.221-243
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• 2023

The use of roadheaders has been increasing to mitigate the problems of noise and vibration during tunneling operations in urban area. Since lack of experience of roadheader for hard rock, the selection of appropriate machines and the evaluation of cutting rates have been challenging. Currently, empirical models developed overseas are commonly used to evaluate cutting rates, but their effectiveness has not been verified for domestic rocks. In this paper, a comprehensive literature review was conducted to assess the rock cutting force, cutterhead capacity, and cutting rate to select the appropriate machine and evaluate its performance. The cutterhead capacity was reviewed based on the literature results for the site. Furthermore, a new empirical model and simplified method for predicting cutting rates were proposed through data analysis in relation to operation time and rock strength, and compared with those of the conventional model from the manufacturer. The results show good agreement for high strength range upper 80 MPa of uniaxial compressive strength.