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TBM disc cutter ring type adaptability and rock-breaking efficiency: Numerical modeling and case study

  • Xiaokang Shao (School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing) ;
  • Yusheng Jiang (School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing) ;
  • Zongyuan Zhu (School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing) ;
  • Zhiyong Yang (School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing) ;
  • Zhenyong Wang (School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing) ;
  • Jinguo Cheng (School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing) ;
  • Quanwei Liu (Qingdao Metro Line 6 Co Ltd)
  • Received : 2022.11.16
  • Accepted : 2023.06.07
  • Published : 2023.07.10

Abstract

This study focused on understanding the relationship between the design of a tunnel boring machine disc cutter ring and its rock-breaking efficiency, as well as the applicable conditions of different cutter ring types. The discrete element method was used to establish a numerical model of the rock-breaking process using disc cutters with different ring types to reveal the development of rock damage cracks and variation in cutter penetration load. The calculation results indicate that a sharp-edged (V-shaped) disc cutter penetrates a rock mass to a given depth with the lowest load, resulting in more intermediate cracks and few lateral cracks, which leads to difficulty in crack combination. Furthermore, the poor wear resistance of a conventional V-shaped cutter can lead to an exponential increase in the penetration load after cutter ring wear. In contrast, constant-cross-section (CCS) disc cutters have the highest quantity of crack extensions after penetrating rock, but also require the highest penetration loads. An arch-edged (U-shaped) disc cutter is more moderate than the aforementioned types with sufficient intermediate and lateral crack propagation after cutting into rock under a suitable penetration load. Additionally, we found that the cutter ring wedge angle and edge width heavily influence cutter rock-breaking efficiency and that a disc cutter with a 16 to 22 mm edge width and 20° to 30° wedge angle exhibits high performance. Compared to V-shaped and U-shaped cutters, the CCS cutter is more suitable for soft or medium-strength rocks, where the penetration load is relatively small. Additionally, two typical case studies were selected to verify that replacing a CCS cutter with a U-shaped or optimized V-shaped disc cutter can increase cutting efficiency when encountering hard rocks.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. U1261212). The authors would also like to acknowledge the support provided by the China Railway First Group and China Railway Tunnel Group.

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