Study on the critical driving speed of the tunnel boring machine cutterhead based on the dynamic stability

Driving speed is a significant design parameter for tunnel boring machine (TBM). Low driving speed maybe reduce tunneling efficiency and high one maybe affect the safety of construction by causing the severe vibration which can make the bolts loose and make the spindle bearings broken. To determine the critical value of driving speed of the cutterhead in tunneling, a finite element model is proposed to perform the dynamic simulation on the tunneling process by introducing nonlinear spring elements to simulate the interaction between the cutterhead and the rock. Critical driving speeds to ensure the dynamic stability of the cutterhead are obtained for different rock formation. The results may be useful for determining the driving speed of TBM to control the cutterhead vibration and to reduce vibration damage. They may also be used to promote the geological adaptability and safety of TBM. © 2014 Journal of Mechanical Engineering.