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Thrust and torque characteristics based on a new cutter-head load model

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Abstract

Full face rock tunnel boring machine(TBM) has been widely used in hard rock tunnels, however, there are few published theory about cutter-head design, and the design criteria of cutter-head under complex geological is not clear yet. To deal with the complex relationship among geological parameters, cutter parameters, and operating parameters during tunneling processes, a cutter-head load model is established by using CSM(Colorado school of mines) prediction model. Force distribution on cutter-head under a certain geology is calculated with the new established load model, and result shows that inner cutters bear more force than outer cutters, combining with disc cutters abrasion; a general principle of disc cutters’ layout design is proposed. Within the model, the relationship among rock uniaxial compressive strength(UCS), penetration and thrust on cutter-head are analyzed, and the results shows that with increasing penetration, cutter thrust increases, but the growth rate slows and higher penetration makes lower special energy(SE). Finally, a fitting mathematical model of ZT(ratio of cutter-head torque and thrust) and penetration is established, and verified by TB880E, which can be used to direct how to set thrust and torque on cutter-head. When penetration is small, the cutter-head thrust is the main limiting factor in tunneling; when the penetration is large, cutter-head torque is the major limiting factor in tunneling. Based on the new cutter-head load model, thrust and torque characteristics of TBM further are researched and a new way for cutter-head layout design and TBM tunneling operations is proposed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Mechanism Theory and Equipment Design of Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China

    Jianqin Liu, Jiabao Ren & Wei Guo

Authors
  1. Jianqin Liu
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  2. Jiabao Ren
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  3. Wei Guo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jianqin Liu.

Additional information

Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No. 51275339), and National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program, Grant No. 2013CB035402)

LIU Jianqin, born in 1972, is currently an associate professor and a master supervisor at School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, China. Her research interests include mechanism dynamics and design of mechanisms, etc.

REN Jiabao, born in 1990, is currently a PhD candidate at Key Laboratory of Mechanism Theory and Equipment Design of Ministry of Education, Tianjin University. His research interests include TBM cutter-head design and product design, etc.

GUO Wei, born in 1965, is currently a professor and a doctor supervisor at School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, China. His research interest is product digitital design.

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Liu, J., Ren, J. & Guo, W. Thrust and torque characteristics based on a new cutter-head load model. Chin. J. Mech. Eng. 28, 801–809 (2015). https://doi.org/10.3901/CJME.2015.0504.066

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3901/CJME.2015.0504.066

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