Abstract
Rock indentation tests are often called punch penetration tests and are known to be related to penetration rates of drilling equipment and hard rock tunnel boring machines (TBMs). Various indices determined from analysis of the force-penetration plot generated from indentation tests have been used to represent the drillability, boreability, and brittleness of rocks. However, no standard for the punch penetration test procedure or method for calculating the related indices has been suggested or adopted in the rock mechanics community. This paper introduces new indices based on the punch test to predict the performance of hard rock TBMs. A series of punch tests was performed on rock specimens representing six rock formations in Korea with different dimensions, i.e., the core specimens had different lengths and diameters. Of the indices obtained from the punch tests, the peak load index and mean load index showed good correlations with the cutting forces measured in full-scale linear cutting machine tests on the same rock types. The indices also showed good linear correlations with the ratio of uniaxial strength to Brazilian tensile strength, which indicates the brittleness of rock. The scale effect of using core specimens was investigated, and a preferred dimension for the punch test specimens is proposed. This paper also discusses the results of the punch test and full-scale rock cutting tests using LCM. The results of this study confirm that the proposed indices from the punch tests can be used to provide a reliable prediction of the cutting forces that act on a disc cutter. The estimated cutting forces can then be used for optimization of cutter-head design and performance prediction of hard rock TBMs.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Altindag R (2002) The evaluation of rock brittleness concept on rotary blast hole drills. J South African Inst Min Metall 102:61–66
Bruland A (1998) Hard rock tunnel boring. Dissertation, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Cho JW, Jeon S, Yu SH, Chang SH (2010) Optimum spacing of TBM disc cutters: a numerical simulation using three-dimensional dynamic fracturing method. Tunn Undergr Sp Tech 25:230–244
Cho JW, Jeon S, Jeong HY, Chang SH (2013) Evaluation of cutting efficiency during TBM cutter excavation within Korean granitic rock using linear cutting machine testing and photogrammetric measurement. Tunn Undergr Sp Tech 35:37–54
Cook NGW, Hood M, Tsai F (1984) Observations of crack growth in hard rock loaded by an indenter. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 21:97–107
Copur H (1999) Theoretical and experimental studies of rock cutting with drag bits toward the development of a performance prediction model for roadheaders. Dissertation, Colorado School of Mines
Dollinger GL, Handewith HJ, Breeds CD (1998) Use of the punch test for estimation of TBM performance. Tunn Undergr Sp Tech 13:403–408
Gertsch R, Gertsch L, Rostami J (2007) Disc cutting tests in Colorado Red Granite: implications for TBM performance prediction. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 44:238–246
Handewith HJ (1970) Predicting the economic success of continuous tunneling in hard rock. CIM Bull 63:595–599
Hucka V, Das B (1974) Brittleness determination of rocks by different methods. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 11:389–392
Jeong HY, Jeon SW, Cho JW, Chang SH, Bae GJ (2010) Assessment of cutting performance of a TBM disc cutter for anisotropic rock by linear cutting test. J Korean Soc Rock Mech 21:508–517 (in Korean)
Kahraman S (2002) Correlation of TBM and drilling machine performances with rock brittleness. Eng Geol 65:269–283
NCSS (2007) User`s guide
Rostami J (2008) Hard rock TBM cutterhead modeling for design and performance prediction. Geomechanik und Tunnelbau 1:18–28
Rostami J (2013) Study of pressure of the crushed zone in the contact area between rock and disc cutters. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 57:172–186
Rostami J, Ozdemir L (1993) A new model for performance prediction of hard rock TBMs. In: Proceedings of the Rapid Excavation and Tunneling Conference (RETC), Boston: 793–809
Rostami J, Ozdemir L, and Nilsen B (1996) Comparison between CSM and NTH hard rock TBM performance prediction models. In: Proceedings of ISDT Annual Technical Conference, Las Vegas: 1–11
Sanio HP (1985) Prediction of the performance of disc cutters in anisotropic rock. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 22:153–161
Ulusay R, Hudson JA (eds) (2007) The complete ISRM suggested methods for rock characterization, testing and monitoring: 1974–2006. International Society for Rock Mechanics
Yagiz S (2002) Development of rock fracture and brittleness indices to quantify the effects of rock mass features and toughness in the CSM model basic penetration for hard rock tunneling machines. Dissertation, Colorado School of Mines
Yagiz S (2009) Assessment of brittleness using rock strength and density with punch test. Tunn Undergr Sp Tech 24:66–74
Yagiz S, Gokceoblu C, Sezer E, Iplikci S (2009) Application of two non-linear prediction tools to the estimation of tunnel boring machine performance. Eng Appl Artif Intel 29:808–814
Yu SH (2007) A study on rock cutting behavior by TBM disc cutter. MS Thesis, Seoul National University (in Korean)
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by Grant No. 10CCTI-E09 from the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, Korea.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jeong, HY., Cho, JW., Jeon, S. et al. Performance Assessment of Hard Rock TBM and Rock Boreability Using Punch Penetration Test. Rock Mech Rock Eng 49, 1517–1532 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-015-0834-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-015-0834-7