Study on the synergistic operation characteristics of disc cutter with the assistance of other rock-breaking methods

• Published in: Arabian journal of geosciences Vol. 15; no. 11
• Main Authors: Zhou, Hui, Xu, Futong, Lu, Jingjing, Gao, Yang, Xiao, Jiancheng, Tu, Hongliang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Boreholes; Boring machines; Breaking; Construction; Disc cutters; Dredging; Drilling & boring machinery; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth science; Earth Sciences; Excavation; Feasibility studies; Free surfaces; Indenters; Lasers; Modes; Original Paper; Penetration tests; R&D; Research & development; Rock masses; Rocks; Sandstone; Sedimentary rocks; Tunnel construction; Tunnels; Rock-breaking modes; Free surface; Kerfs; TBM; Penetration tests
• ISSN: 1866-7511; 1866-7538
• DOI: 10.1007/s12517-022-10375-0

The development and application of rock-breaking technologies, such as laser, hydraulic and acoustic, have provided more possibilities for traditional mechanical rock-breaking tunnel boring machine (TBM) to improve tunnel construction efficiency and realize construction in complex geological environment and large-scale tunnel excavation. At present, the research and development of high-performance TBM coupled with multiple rock-breaking technologies is still in the exploratory stage, and there is still a lack of understanding of the synergistic operation mode of different rock-breaking technologies. According to the differences in the implementation characteristics and scope of action of different technologies, the rock-breaking process can be classified into three modes: borehole treatment, slotting treatment and surface broken treatment of rock wall. And the synergistic operation characteristics of the three modes for rock breaking are analysed. Taking the slotting treatment mode as an example, the free surface is formed on the rock mass by prefabricated kerfs, and the penetration tests of the sandstone with slotting treatment are carried out with single and double indenters. The results show that the slotting treatment is of great significance for reducing the rock-breaking force and improving the rock-breaking efficiency of TBM mechanical disc cutter, and the feasibility of the application of slotting treatment mode in TBM for rock breaking is verified. It shows that the coupling of various rock-breaking technologies and synergistic operation with different treatment modes are of great significance to the renovation and upgrading of TBM equipment.