Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM)

TBM is a full face excavator which cuts rock by means of disc cutters mounted
on a circular revolving cutting head (figure 7.5). The following design
features enable it to cut stronger rock than any other type of mechanical
excavator.

Large mass

Hydraulic stabilising jacks

High cutting force provided by hydraulic thrust rams

Cutting discs for rock breakage by indentation

Because of the size and weight of the typical TBM, they are suitable only for
the excavation of long straight drivages such as civil engineering tunnels.

Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM)

TBM provides a good, circular profile which is good for stability and
ventilation but usually requires a false floor to be laid to create a flat floor
for travel.

Limited by grades involved and grade control can be problematic is some
strata conditions. Not suitable for other than very gradual changes of
direction (typically minimum 500m turning radius although tighter radius
machines can be designed and utilized).

Unlike drill and blast or roadheading methods, tunnel boring machines do
not have the capability to readily vary the dimension of the excavation nor
are they suitable in varying ground conditions.

Disadvantages of TBMs

High capital cost (several million dollars)

Can only cut circular section

Large turning radius (100 m)

Time-consuming to install

Minimum tunnel length of 2 km required to justify installation

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Wide choice of TBMs for rock tunneling with diameter > 14m for different ground
conditions
 Open or Gripper type for hard ground
 Single shield hard ground
 Double shield hard ground
 EPB (Earth Pressure Balance Machines) Soft ground, pressure< 7 bar
 Slurry and mix-shield Soft ground with very high water pressure and large
amounts of ground water

Fig: Gripper
TBM

The largest diameter TBM, at 15.43 m, was built by Herrenknecht AG

for a recent project in Shanghai, China. The machine was built to bore
through soft ground including sand and clay.

The largest diameter hard rock TBM, at 14.4 m, was manufactured by

The Robbins Company for Canada's Niagara Tunnel Project.
1 Cutterhead 4 Anchor Drilling Devices
2 Cutterhead Support 5 Wire Mesh Erector
3 Ring Erector

5
2

1
4

Fig: Gripper TBM

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  A TBM breaks rock with disc cutters mounted on the rotating cutter-head
in such a pattern that they roll against the rock of the tunnel face in a
series of concentric circular grooves or kerfs.
 The cutting force is produced by powerful hydraulic thrust rams. Each
disc cutter is free to rotate within its mounting.
 The high cutting forces required to break strong rock types produce
equally high reaction forces on the machine.
 To maintain contact with the rock and to maintain the optimum spacing
between cutting grooves, the machine is held stable by a combination of
its great mass and by hydraulic jacks (grippers) acting against the side of
the tunnel.
 Broken rock is gathered from the floor by scoops mounted around the
perimeter of the cutting head and discharged at the crown of the cutter
head onto a belt conveyor that runs through the center of the machine

Cutter head Grippers Conveyor

1. Start
boring
stroke

2. End
Main boring
body stroke

3. Start
reset
stroke
Invert Front Thrust Rear Main
scraper lift leg cylinder lift leg motors
4. End
Fig: Cutting cycle of Atlas Copco TBM reset
stroke

Fig: Hydraulic
jacks holding a
TBM in place.
1. Cutter head
2. Front shield
3. Main beam
4. Gripper trolley
5. thrust cylinders
6. Belt conveyor
7. Ring beam erector structure
8. Shortcret
Fig: Gripper Shield

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 All types of hard rock TBMs excavate rock using disc cutters mounted in
the cutter head.
 The disc cutters create compressive stress fractures in the rock, causing it
to chip away from the rock in front of the machine, called the tunnel face.
 The excavated rock, known as muck, is transferred through openings in
the cutter head to a belt conveyor, where it runs through the machine to a
system of conveyors or muck cars for removal from the tunnel.
 Cutter head of soft rock TBM does not use disc cutters only, but instead a
combination of tungsten carbide cutting bits, carbide disc cutters, and/or
hard rock disc cutters.

Fig. Disc type cutter. Fig. (a) Kerf cutter (b) Pineapple cutter.

Different Cutter Heads - TBMs

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Single Shield TBM

1.Cutter head
2.Shield
3.Belt conveyor
4.Excavated material removal trolley

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Double Shield TBM

1. Cutter head
2. Shields
2a - Front shield
2b - Double shield
2c - Rear shield and gripper
Belt conveyor
Excavated material removal trolley

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 EPBMs

Fig: Schematic
representation of EPBM

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 Fig: Schematic
representation of EPBM

Fig: Types of
Cutting face
of EPBMs

Schematic
representation of a
slurry type shield
machine

Cutting head sketch of

slurry type shield

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Types of cutting face of slurry type shield

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