DISCRETE ELEMENT METHOD TO PREDICT SOFT GROUND CUTTERHEAD PERFORMANCE

摘要

Soft ground TBM Cutterhead design has historically been driven by iterativerndesigns based on empirical data, observations over various projects and industry rulesrnof thumb. The ability to analyze the performance of a cutterhead has been limited tornstudies conducted in-situ during TBM operations. With the use of Caterpillar proprietaryrnDiscrete Element Method (DEM) software, Rocks3DTD, critical operational characteristicsrncan be analyzed much earlier on, during the design phase, and allow forrncomparison of such key parameters as required torque, advance rate, material flowrnpaths, and effectiveness of loading mechanisms. Rocks3DTD is a proprietary discreternelement code, which allows for time-elapsed particle interactions with structures, andrnconsiders particle size, shape, soil cohesive properties and density. The resulting datarnallows for optimization of cutterhead opening ratio, opening geometry, tool positions,rnand muck removal from the plenum. This paper will review simulations performed torndate and examine how discrete element analysis can be applied to cutterhead performancernoptimization.