• Magazine of korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.44-60
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• 2021

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.277-291
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• 2020

Shield TBM is a tunnelling method that has a wider range of applications in the poor ground condition compared to conventional tunnels (Drill and Blast). Currently, a 13.3 m large-diameter slurry shield TBM is preparing for construction to pass under the Han River. Shield TBM is divided into slurry and EPB shield TBM, and management items during construction are different depending on each characteristic. In this paper, the equipment type, origin, application case and trouble case were analyzed for slurry shield TBM, which is mainly constructed in soft ground. In addition, 2D and 3D model tests were conducted on the condition of soil depth for the possibility of slurry leakage into front of the equipment, with appropriate chamber pressure. Based on this paper, it proposed to provide basic and reference data for proper excavation surface pressure and chamber pressure during construction of slurry shield TBM under soft ground conditions, and proposed measures to minimize stability and environmental decline due to slurry ejection.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.243-256
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• 2019

Formation of filter cake with little slurry penetration into the tunnel face ground is an essential factor to successfully apply the slurry shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) for tunnelling work. However, when the bentonite slurry is in contact with seawater, it is not easy to guarantee the filter cake formation due to decrease of the swelling volume and viscosity of the slurry. In this study, in order to evaluate the effect of the seawater on the applicability of the slurry shield TBM method, the slurry injection tests were carried out with the variation of seawater percentage contained in the slurry samples as well as the variation of soil types. And then, the effect of these two factors on the slurry clogging phenomena was theoretically and experimentally figure out. As a result, it was found that the value of the slurry clogging criteria (SCC) indicating the applicability of the slurry shield TBM significantly decreases up to 67% as the percentage of seawater increases from 0% up to 20%. In addition, it was found to be necessary to take into account both the characteristics of slurry and soil types together when judging the applicability of the slurry shield TBM method by assessing the slurry penetration characteristics that will occur during tunnelling work.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.261-275
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• 2012

This paper presents numerical analysis of the mud cake infiltration behaviour which is influenced tunnel face stability during excavation by slurry shield TBM. This analysis method can make useful data to select proper shield TBM type and to set up the construction plan. But effective analysis did not proposed until now. In this paper, we carried out numerical analysis using by $PFC^{2D}$ fluid coupling simulation which is suitable for sandy soil modelling. As a analysis result, we checked that the slurry infiltration behaviour varied with soil permeability and slurry characteristic(specific weight, viscosity etc). This analysis method is helpful safety excavation through anticipating the proper slurry viscosity at the design stage and verifying the slurry quality at initial excavation stage.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.47-51
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• 2013

In this study, we carried out an experimental shield TBM excavation model test using a down-scale device in soft clay, to understand tunnel-face stability properties in relation to changes in slurry pressure. We performed five tests according to tunnel depth (0.5D, 0.75D, 1.0D, 1.25D, 1.5D), and compared theoretical tunnel-face pressure with model test results. The range in theoretical tunnel-face slurry pressure ($P_{min}{\leq}P_{slurry\;pressure}{\leq}P_{max}$), which is determined by earth pressure and water level, was very similar to the model test result. This result was due to the more isotropic condition of the soft clay ground, than of rocky ground.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.57-70
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• 2017

In this study, we investigated the wear measurement methods for slurry pipe applied in the field of mining and oil sand industry and theoretical equations related to the prediction of wear in slurry pipe through literature review. Average daily wear rate and wear rate per excavated distance were determined from slurry discharge pipe thickness measurement data periodically measured at the actual slurry shield TBM site in Singapore. The wear rate of slurry pipe for Bukit Timah Granite was obtained. The wear rates for G (V) grade and mixed zone were 1.5 times higher than that of G (I) to G (IV) grade. Slurry pipe wear rate tends to increase in proportion to the slurry discharge velocity. The optimal slurry pipe replacement or rotation frequency can be estimated through the selection of the pipe wear rate considering geological condition and the reasonable pipe management thickness.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.463-473
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• 2017

Bentonite swells when it comes into contact with water and makes it a viscous fluid. Thus it is widely used in civil engineering works for waterproofing. Utilizing the properties of bentonite, the slurry shield TBM supports excavated face with pressurized slurry as well as transporting excavated muck. When bentonite is in contact with seawater, due to the change of double layer thickness, its expandability and viscosity are lowered. This may cause problems for excavation stability and muck discharge due to the increase of sea water inflow when Slurry TBM is used under sea water conditions. In this study, the change of slurry condition caused by the inflow of sea water during tunnel excavation with Slurry TBM was investigated and a slurry management guideline was proposed. For this purpose, a laboratory test was carried out based on the slurry management criterions applied in the field, and a method applicable to the field where sea water is affected has been proposed.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.209-222
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• 2024

The Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) shield Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) is widely used for underground tunnel construction for its advantages, such as eliminating the need for additional facilities compared to the slurry shield TBM, which requires Slurry Treatment Plant (STP). During EPB shield TBM excavation, a soil conditioning technique is employed to enhance the physical properties of the excavated soil by injecting additives, thus broadening the range of applicable ground conditions to EPB shield TBMs. This study explored the use of xanthan gum, a type of biopolymer, as an alternative to the commonly used polymer additive. Biopolymers, derived from biological sources, are fully biodegradable. In contrast to traditional polymers such as polyacrylic acid, which contain environmentally harmful components, xanthan gum is gaining attention as an eco-friendly material due to its minimal toxicity and environmental impact. Test conditions with similar workability were established through slump tests, and the rheological characteristics were assessed using a laboratory pressurized vane shear test apparatus. The experiments demonstrated that, despite exhibiting similar workability, the peak strength in the flow curve decreased with increasing the content of xanthan gum. Consequently, a correlation between the xanthan gum content and peak strength was established. Replacing the traditional polymers with xanthan gum could enable stable EPB shield TBM operation by reducing equipment load, in addition to offering environmental benefits.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.397-407
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• 2015

Estimation of shield TBM tunnelling-induced volume loss is of great importance for ground settlement control. This study proposed a simple method for evaluation of volume loss during TBM tunnlling, which is able to take into account of shield machine configurations and main driving data in calculation. The method was applied to analyze the tunnelling cases with earth pressure balanced and slurry pressure balanced shiled TBM, and mostly, reasonable agreements with monitoring results were found. Additional discussions were made for some disagreements.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.61-74
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• 2016

This paper presents a case study on the ground settlement and volume loss estimation for slurry pressure balanced shield TBM tunnelling in weathered zone of granite rock. Settlement at each stage of shield tunnelling was analyzed and the volume losses and settlement trough factors were estimated from observations. In addition, using the existing volume loss evaluation method in literature, volume losses were estimated considering ground properties and actual driving parameters. Most of ground settlement occurred during passage of shield skin passage and after backfill grouting, and the measured total volume loss and trough curves appeared to coincide with literature. Shield and tail loss obtained from field measurement were found to be around 90% and 60% of the predictions, where tail loss indicated larger deviation than shield loss.