Prediction Method of the Boreability and Performance for Hard Rock TBM Tunnel

TBM boreability and performance prediction has always been a hot research topic. In this paper, taking one large diameter long tunnel excavated by a gripper hard rock TBM in Northeastern China as research background, based on a large number of boring data on site and mono-factorial regression analysis of the correlations among Field Penetration Index (FPI) and geological parameters, a multi-factorial regression correlation formula of FPI with rock uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) and rock mass integrity coefficient (Kv) was established. Furthermore, the regression correlation formula of TBM penetration (P) with FPI and the formula of thrust (F) with FPI were given. And a classification method of TBM tunnel surrounding rock based on FPI was proposed. Therefore, according to the above formulae, the analysis of boreability, the calculations of TBM penetration, advance rate and the required thrust, and the classification of rock mass can be performed, which provide a theoretical method for the estimation of TBM boreability, performance prediction, specifications design as well as the project planning and duration-cost analysis.