Parametric modelling of shield – tunnel interaction in TBM excavation
The main objective of the thesis is to better understand the geometrical relationship between the shields of hard rock tunnel boring machines and the excavated tunnel around them.
While most tunnel boring machine (TBM) research and development focuses on the excavation itself, the effect of shield friction has not found much attention despite being of significant importance for excavation.
Based on a first overall study on this topic, a key question is a geometrical relationship between different types of TBMs in different tunnel geometries and excavation situations (find the paper here: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-022-03211-0).
The main research questions that need to be answered are:
- What are the contact points between different TBM shields and the tunnel wall in slanting and curved driving conditions?
- What is a practical assumption for the contact area between TBM shield and tunnel wall / between TBM shield and crushed material in the shield gap?
- What are further modelling techniques to investigate this frictional contact in more depth?
The thesis is part of a bigger development project between NGI and the Graz University of Technology – Institute of Rock Mechanics and Tunnelling, which will also be involved in the process.
If the student is interested, we will highly support publication activities based on promising results from the thesis.
