Abstract
Wear characteristics of disc cutter can vary significantly during shield tunnelling in different geological formations. This paper presents a case study on disc-cutter wear experienced during earth pressure balance shield tunnelling of the Guang-Fo intercity railway in Guangzhou, China. During excavation of the 2.8 km tunnel, 149 cutter inspections were conducted and 1163 cutters were consumed. Cutter wear morphology and cutter consumption was investigated. Cost-effectiveness of cutter replacement under different ground conditions was evaluated regarding time consumption. Field data revealed that cutter consumption varied with ground conditions, cutter mounting radii, and boring parameters. During mixed ground tunneling, it was noticed that the tips of cutter rings had been sharpened. An approximate estimation of when to inspect cutters during tunnelling can be determined using the field penetration index. Cutter replacement in hard rock ground was more cost-effective than in other ground conditions. The wear data provided here can serve as a reference for future operations in similar geological conditions.
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