HEAT-ASSISTED TUNNEL BORING MACHINES
A study was performed to determine: the increase in tunneling machine performance in hard rock resulting from heat weakening of the rock in advance of the tunneling machine, the increase in hourly cost incurred by the heating system, and the net effect of the increased performance and the increased hourly cost on the cost of the finished tunnel. Rock-cutting experiments were performed on Barre granite using a 1-kw CO2-N2-He gas laser for rock heating and disc-type cutters of various diameters. Analytical work included the preparation of specific heat-assisted tunneler designs and their expected performance and economics. An alternative form of using heat for tunneling was also investigated in which slots were melted in the rock instead of merely heating it. The study concludes that the operation of tunneling machines incorporating lasers to provide the heat weakening is technically feasible but economically unattractive. Radiant heaters have insufficient power density to effectively heat the rock, and high-temperature jets create serious environmental problems. However, the test program indicated that a more effective way to assist mechanical cutters would be to use concentrated thermal energy to melt shallow slots in the rock between cutter paths. (DOT)
- Record URL:
-
-
Supplemental Notes:
- Prepared in cooperation with Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, and Fenix and Scisson, Inc.
-
Corporate Authors:
United Aircraft Corporation
Research Laboratories
East Hartford, CT United States -
Authors:
- Carstens, J P
- Davison, W R
- BROWN, C A
- McGarry, F J
- Smith, A R
- Publication Date: 1970-9
Media Info
- Pagination: 335 p.
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Cutting tools; Excavation and tunneling; Feasibility analysis; Heat; Heating equipment; Rock drilling; Rocks; Thermal properties; Tunneling; Tunneling machines; Tunnels
- Uncontrolled Terms: Gas lasers; Radiant heating
- Old TRIS Terms: Heat assisted tunneling; Heat assisted tunnelling; Heat weakening; Thermophysical properties
- Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Geotechnology; Railroads;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00039214
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
- Report/Paper Numbers: UARL-J970802-12 Final Rpt
- Contract Numbers: DOT-FR-9-0035
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Nov 24 1973 12:00AM