TUNNELING MACHINE RESEARCH--DEVELOPMENT OF AN EXPERIMENTAL FULL SCALE RESEARCH ROCK CUTTING DEVICE

The increased use of tunnel boring machines (TBM) has stimulated laboratory research to optimize the cutting parameters of these machines with the objective of increasing machine efficiency and penetration rate. Laboratory-scale rock cutting experiments have succeeded in identifying many of the important parameters involved in rock-cutter interaction. Although scaling factors may be required to apply the results directly, the concepts developed can be used qualitatively as design guidelines for boring machines. The Bureau of Mines Twin Cities Mining Research Center has recently developed a large-sacel rock cutting device (RCD) that will simulate many of the operating parameters of the tunnel boring machines in the laboratory under a controlled environment. The results of the experiments with this device will be directly applicable to the design of TBM's.

• Corporate Authors:

  Bureau of Mines Publication Disbribution Branch

  4800 Forbes Avenue
  Pittsburgh, PA  United States  15213
• Authors:
  • Rad, R F
  • SCHMIDT, R L
• Publication Date: 1973

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: 18 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Excavating equipment; Tunneling; Tunnels
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00050334
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Bureau of Mines
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 11 1976 12:00AM