CLASSIFICATION AND APPLICABILITY OF FULL-FACE TBMS

At present,the level of mechanization and automation of tunnel boring machines(TBM) has been improved significantly,and TBMs can be designed to excavate tunnels with different shapes under different geological conditions.The types of TBMs are becoming more versatile.In order to facilitate selection of TBMs in a project based on engineering geology and hydrogeology conditions,project characteristics and environmental constraints,it is necessary to understand the operation mechanisms of different TBMs and classify them accordingly.In this paper,the authors describe the operation mechanisms of each type of full-face TBM,and classify full-face TBMs by their final excavated tunnel section,immediate support mechanism and cutting mechanism.Based on applicability of each type of TBM,users can select appropriate TBMs to meet their needs and geological conditions.