Using a high-pressure water jet-assisted tunnel boring machine to break rock

The concept of tunnel boring machine (TBM) disc cutter rock breaking coupled with high-pressure water jets has been proposed to overcome the difficulties that occur when TBMs encounter extremely hard rocks. Thus, to meet actual engineering requirements for the TBM construction of tunnels as part of...

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Main Authors: Jinliang Zhang, Yongchang Li, Yuansheng Zhang, Fengwei Yang, Chao Liang, Shunhui Tan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2020-10-01
Series:Advances in Mechanical Engineering
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/1687814020962290
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author Jinliang Zhang
Yongchang Li
Yuansheng Zhang
Fengwei Yang
Chao Liang
Shunhui Tan
author_facet Jinliang Zhang
Yongchang Li
Yuansheng Zhang
Fengwei Yang
Chao Liang
Shunhui Tan
author_sort Jinliang Zhang
collection DOAJ
description The concept of tunnel boring machine (TBM) disc cutter rock breaking coupled with high-pressure water jets has been proposed to overcome the difficulties that occur when TBMs encounter extremely hard rocks. Thus, to meet actual engineering requirements for the TBM construction of tunnels as part of the Wan’anxi water diversion project in Longyan City (Fujian Province, China), experiments were conducted on high-pressure water jet-assisted TBM disc cutter rock breaking. By varying kerf depth and width under different water jet parameters and performing disc cutter rock breaking tests on rock surfaces with no kerf, single kerf, and double kerfs, the effects of different kerf depths on the disc cutter rock breaking process, load, and efficiency were examined. The test results showed that high-pressure water jets can generate the regular kerfs required for the coupled disc cutter rock breaking of granite. Employing the coupled rock breaking method also resulted in a decrease in specific energy and an approximately 40% decrease in the normal force of the disc cutter, thereby significantly improving rock breaking efficiency. These results provide key technical parameters for the design and manufacture of high-pressure water jet-assisted rock-breaking TBMs and serves as a reference for similar processes.
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spelling doaj.art-79f61814c022421080556bcdff4473a62022-12-21T21:47:07ZengSAGE PublishingAdvances in Mechanical Engineering1687-81402020-10-011210.1177/1687814020962290Using a high-pressure water jet-assisted tunnel boring machine to break rockJinliang Zhang0Yongchang Li1Yuansheng Zhang2Fengwei Yang3Chao Liang4Shunhui Tan5Yellow River Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd., Zhengzhou, ChinaYellow River Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd., Zhengzhou, ChinaTianjin University, Tianjin, ChinaYellow River Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd., Zhengzhou, ChinaYellow River Engineering Consulting Co., Ltd., Zhengzhou, ChinaChina Railway Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd., Zhengzhou, ChinaThe concept of tunnel boring machine (TBM) disc cutter rock breaking coupled with high-pressure water jets has been proposed to overcome the difficulties that occur when TBMs encounter extremely hard rocks. Thus, to meet actual engineering requirements for the TBM construction of tunnels as part of the Wan’anxi water diversion project in Longyan City (Fujian Province, China), experiments were conducted on high-pressure water jet-assisted TBM disc cutter rock breaking. By varying kerf depth and width under different water jet parameters and performing disc cutter rock breaking tests on rock surfaces with no kerf, single kerf, and double kerfs, the effects of different kerf depths on the disc cutter rock breaking process, load, and efficiency were examined. The test results showed that high-pressure water jets can generate the regular kerfs required for the coupled disc cutter rock breaking of granite. Employing the coupled rock breaking method also resulted in a decrease in specific energy and an approximately 40% decrease in the normal force of the disc cutter, thereby significantly improving rock breaking efficiency. These results provide key technical parameters for the design and manufacture of high-pressure water jet-assisted rock-breaking TBMs and serves as a reference for similar processes.https://doi.org/10.1177/1687814020962290
spellingShingle Jinliang Zhang
Yongchang Li
Yuansheng Zhang
Fengwei Yang
Chao Liang
Shunhui Tan
Using a high-pressure water jet-assisted tunnel boring machine to break rock
Advances in Mechanical Engineering
title Using a high-pressure water jet-assisted tunnel boring machine to break rock
title_full Using a high-pressure water jet-assisted tunnel boring machine to break rock
title_fullStr Using a high-pressure water jet-assisted tunnel boring machine to break rock
title_full_unstemmed Using a high-pressure water jet-assisted tunnel boring machine to break rock
title_short Using a high-pressure water jet-assisted tunnel boring machine to break rock
title_sort using a high pressure water jet assisted tunnel boring machine to break rock
url https://doi.org/10.1177/1687814020962290
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