Investigation on the Rock-Fragmentation Process of Conical-Shaped TBM Cutterhead in Extremely Hard Rock Ground

Authors

  • Shijun Chen
  • Xinyu Jin 008615093910250
  • Rucheng Hu
  • Fei Liu
  • Zhongsheng Hu

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14311/CEJ.2023.03.0031

Keywords:

Full-face tunnel boring machine, conical-shaped cutterhead, disc cutter, PFC, rock-fragmentation mechanism

Abstract

Conical-shaped cutterhead is one type of tunnel boring machine (TBM) cutterhead which may have advantage of high rock-breaking efficiency in extremely hard rock ground. This study investigated the rock-fragmentation process of disc cutters on the conical-shaped cutterhead via a series of numerical simulations that had been verified by laboratory rock-fragmentation tests. Firstly, the rock-fragmentation numerical model of the six cutters in the 'flat-cone' contiguous part was built based on cutting mode analysis of the conical-shape cutterhead. The rock sample in the numerical model was synthesized using a grain-based discrete element method (GB-DEM) and the reliability of this approach was verified via scaled rock-fragmentation tests conducted on a self-developed linear cutting machine (LCM). Then, a series of numerical simulations were conducted to study the influence of cutterhead cone angle, cutter spacing, and cutter installation angle on the rock-fragmentation performance. The results were as follows: 1) the nature of rock fragmentation in the cone area is the rock fragmentation under side free-face condition; 2) the penetration specific energy can be reduced and thus the rock-fragmentation efficiency can be improved by appropriately increasing the conical angle, reducing the cutter spacing, and increasing the cutter installation angle; 3) for the studied granite, the optimal conical angle is 25°, the cutter spacing is suggested to be no more than 70 mm, and the cutter tilt angle is suggested to be no more than 3°. The results obtained in this paper can be used as guidance for the design of the conical-shaped cutterhead.

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Author Biographies

Shijun Chen

中国5湖南省长沙市中国铁建五号集团电力工程有限公司研究员;

Xinyu Jin, 008615093910250

School of Construction Machinery, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710064, China

Rucheng Hu

中国铁建五号集团电力工程有限公司研究员，湖南省长沙市，5，中国

Fei Liu

Researcher, The Electricity Engineering CO.,LTD under CREC NO.5 Group, Changsha, Hunan District, 410205, China

Zhongsheng Hu

Researcher, The Electricity Engineering CO.,LTD under CREC NO.5 Group, Changsha, Hunan District, 410205, China

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Published

2023-10-30

How to Cite

Chen, S., Jin, X., Hu, R., Liu, F., & Hu, Z. (2023). Investigation on the Rock-Fragmentation Process of Conical-Shaped TBM Cutterhead in Extremely Hard Rock Ground. Stavební Obzor - Civil Engineering Journal, 32(3), 409–425. https://doi.org/10.14311/CEJ.2023.03.0031

Issue

Vol. 32 No. 3 (2023)

Section

Articles

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