Research progress and prospect of adverse geology forward-prospecting and intelligent decision-making of TBM tunneling

Abstract

Faults, karst caves, water-bodies and fractured zones are serious threats to the tunnel construction safety drilling via Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs). In addition, the TBM operation parameters selected by human-experience are sometimes mismatched with the geological condition. Detection of adverse geologies and intelligent decision of TBM operating parameters is an important prerequisite for the safe and efficient construction of TBM tunnels. To address this requirement, firstly, an automated geological forward-prospecting technique mounted on hard-rock TBMs is developed. Secondly, for TBM tunneling with high-efficiency and low-consumption of cutters, an intelligent decision-making method of TBM operating parameters is proposed. Examples of different engineering applications are given, which proves the necessity of the detection of adverse geologies and decision-making of TBM operation parameters in TBM tunneling.