• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.233-252
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• 2021

This paper is a study to improve the efficiency of mixing technology in the shield TBM chamber. Currently, the number of construction cases using the TBM method is increasing in Korea. According to the increasing use of TBM method, research on TBM method such as Disc Cutter, Cutter bit, and Segment also shows an increasing trend. However, there is little research on the mixing efficiency in chamber and chamber. In order to improve the smooth soil treatment and the behavior of the excavated soil, a study was conducted on the change of the mixing efficiency according to the effective mixing bar arrangement in the chamber. In the scale model experiment, the ground was composed using plastic materials of different colors for ease of identification. In addition, the mixing bar arrangement was different and classified into 4 cases, and the particle size distribution was classified into single particle size and multiple particle size, and the experiment was conducted with a total of 8 cases. The rotation speed of the cutter head of all cases was the same as 5 RPM, and the experiment time was also carried out in the same condition, 1 minute and 30 seconds. In order to check the mixing efficiency, samples at the upper, middle (left or right), and lower positions of each case were collected and analyzed. As a result of the scaled-down model experiment, the mixing efficiency of Case 4 and Case 4-1 increased compared to Case 1 and Case 1-1, which are actually used. Accordingly, it is expected that the mixing efficiency can be increased by changing the arrangement of the mixing bar in the chamber, and it is considered to be effective in saving air as the mixing efficiency increases. Therefore, this study is considered to be an important indicator for the use of shield TBM in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.543-552
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• 2014

This research covers correlation analysis between the machine data measured from EPB Shield TBM construction site and the ground condition during excavation, and figures out how the machine data are affected by the change of ground conditions through single and mixed parameter analysis. It was found that when the ground is changed from hard rock to soft rock, the ratio of the cutter torque to thrust force increases. The relationship between the ratio of the cutter torque to thrust force and the penetration rate shows that the ratio has a certain range of values for hard rock; on the other hand, it increases for soft rock. It means that we can recognize a sign of appearance of weak zone by assessing the ratio of the cutter touque to thrust force according to each penetration rate. Multiple regression analysis of the machine data showed that the cutter torque increases with the increases of the total thrust force, and it decreases with the increase of the uniaxial compressive strength of the ground.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1049-1060
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• 2018

Soil conditioning is one of the key factors for successfull tunnel excavations utilizing the earth pressure-balanced (EPB) shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) by increasing the tunnel face stability and extraction efficiency of excavated soils. In this study, conditioning agents are mixed with the weathered granite soils which are abundant in the Korean peninsula and the workability of the resulting mixture is evaluated through the slump tests to derive and propose the most suitable conditioning agent as well as the most appropriate agent mix ratios. However, since it is cumbersome to perform the slump tests all the time either in the laboratory or in-situ, a simpler test may be needed instead of the slump test; the fall cone test was proposed as a substitute. In this paper, the correlation between the slump value obtained from the slump test and the cone penetration depth obtained from the proposed fall cone test was obtained. Test results showed that a very good correlation between two was observed; it means that the simpler fall cone test can be used to assess the suitability of the conditioned soils instead of the more cumbersome slump test.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.494-507
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• 2021

With the increasing use of TBM, research has recently been conducted in Korea to analyze TBM data with machine learning techniques to predict the ground in front of TBM, predict the exchange cycle of disk cutters, and predict the advance rate of TBM. In this study, classification prediction of rock characteristics of slurry shield TBM sites was made by combining traditional rock classification techniques and machine learning techniques widely used in various fields with machine data during TBM excavation. The items of rock characteristic classification criteria were set as RQD, uniaxial compression strength, and elastic wave speed, and the rock conditions for each item were classified into three classes: class 0 (good), 1 (normal), and 2 (poor), and machine learning was performed on six class algorithms. As a result, the ensemble model showed good performance, and the LigthtGBM model, which showed excellent results in learning speed as well as learning performance, was found to be optimal in the target site ground. Using the classification model for the three rock characteristics set in this study, it is believed that it will be possible to provide rock conditions for sections where ground information is not provided, which will help during excavation work.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.502-517
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• 2022

As the use of TBM increases, research has recently increased to to analyze TBM data with machine learning techniques to predict the exchange cycle of disc cutters, and predict the advance rate of TBM. In this study, a regression prediction of disc cutte wear of slurry shield TBM site was made by combining machine learning based on the machine data and the geotechnical data obtained during the excavation. The data were divided into 7:3 for training and testing the prediction of disc cutter wear, and the hyper-parameters are optimized by cross-validated grid-search over a parameter grid. As a result, gradient boosting based on the ensemble model showed good performance with a determination coefficient of 0.852 and a root-mean-square-error of 3.111 and especially excellent results in fit times along with learning performance. Based on the results, it is judged that the suitability of the prediction model using data including mechanical data and geotechnical information is high. In addition, research is needed to increase the diversity of ground conditions and the amount of disc cutter data.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.423-446
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• 2023

Shield TBM tunnel linings are segmented into segments and rings. This study investigates the response characteristics of the stress and displacement of the segment lining under seismic waves through modeling that considers the interface behavior between segments by applying a shell interface element to the contact surface between segments and rings. And there is no management criteria for ovaling deformation of segment linings in Korea. So, this study the ovality criteria and meaning of segment lining. The results of study showed that the distribution patterns of stress and displacement under seismic waves were similar between continuous linings and segment linings. However, the maximum values of stress and displacement showed differences from segment linings. The stress distribution of the continuous lining modeled as a shell type has a stress distribution that has continuity in the 3D cylindrical shape, but the segment lining is concentrated outside the segment, and the largest stress occurs at the location where the contact surface between the segment and the ring is concentrated. This intermittent and localized stress distribution shows an increasing as the ovality of the lining increases at seismic waves. The ovality at which the increase in stress distribution begins to show irregularity and localization is about 150‰. Ovality of 150‰ is an unrealistic value that cannot represent actual lining deformation. Therefore, the ovality of the segment lining increase with depth, but it does not have a significant impact on the stability caused by seismic load.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.345-352
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• 2022

The existing NATM (New Austrian Tunneling Method) has induced civil compliants due to blasting vibration and noise. Machanized excavation methods such as TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) are being adopted in the planning and construction of tunneling projects. Shield TBM method is composed of repetition processes of TBM excavation and segment installation, the machine has to be stopped during the later process. Consecutive excavation technology using helical segment is under developing to minimize the stoppage time. The modification of thrust jacks and module are planned to ensure the advance force acting on the inclined surface of helical segment. Also, the integrated system design of hydraulic circuit will be remodeled. This means that the system deactivate the jacks on the installing segment while the others automatically act the thrusting forces on the existing segments. This report briefly introduces the mechanical research part of the current consecutive excavation technological development project of TBM.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.553-581
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• 2022

Shortly after tunnel boring machine (TBM) was introduced in the tunneling industry, the use of TBM has surprisingly increased worldwide due to its performance together with the benefit of being safely and environmentally friendly. One of the main cost items in the TBM tunneling in rock and soil is changing damaged or worn cutters. It is because that the cutter change is a time-consuming and costly activity that can significantly reduce the TBM utilization and advance rate and has a major effect on the total time and cost of TBM tunneling projects. Therefore, the importance of accurately evaluating the cutter life can never be overemphasized. However, the prediction of cutter wear in soil, rock including mixed face is very complex and not yet fully clarified, subsequently keeping engineers busy around the world. Various prediction models for cutter wear have been developed and introduced, but these models almost usually produce highly variable results due to inherent uncertainties in the models. In this study, a case study of design and construction of disc cutter change is introduced and analyzed, rather than proposing a prediction model of cutter wear. As the disc cutter is strongly affected by the geological condition, TBM machine characteristic and operation, authors believe it is very hard to suggest a generalized prediction model given the uncertainties and limitations therefore it would be more practical to analyze a real case and provide a detailed discussion of the difference between prediction and result for the cutter change. By doing so, up-to-date idea about planning and execution of cutter change in practice can be promoted.

• KEPCO Journal on Electric Power and Energy
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.305-313
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• 2020

The use of cable tunnels for electric power transmission as well as their construction in difficult conditions such as in subsea terrains and large overburden areas has increased. So, in order to efficiently operate the small diameter shield TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine), the estimation of advance rate and development of a design model is necessary. However, due to limited scope of survey and face mapping, it is very difficult to match the rock mass characteristics and TBM operational data in order to achieve their mutual relationships and to develop an advance rate model. Also, the working mechanism of previously utilized linear cutting machine is slightly different than the real excavation mechanism owing to the penetration of a number of disc cutters taking place at the same time in the rock mass in conjunction with rotation of the cutterhead. So, in order to suggest the advance rate and machine design models for small diameter TBMs, an EPB (Earth Pressure Balance) shield TBM having 3.54 m diameter cutterhead was manufactured and 19 cases of full-scale tunneling tests were performed each in 87.5 ㎥ volume of artificial rock mass. The relationships between advance rate and machine data were effectively analyzed by performing the tests in homogeneous rock mass with 70 MPa uniaxial compressive strength according to the TBM operational parameters such as thrust force and RPM of cutterhead. The utilization of the recorded penetration depth and torque values in the development of models is more accurate and realistic since they were derived through real excavation mechanism. The relationships between normal force on single disc cutter and penetration depth as well as between normal force and rolling force were suggested in this study. The prediction of advance rate and design of TBM can be performed in rock mass having 70 MPa strength using these relationships. An effort was made to improve the application of the developed model by applying the FPI (Field Penetration Index) concept which can overcome the limitation of 100% RQD (Rock Quality Designation) in artificial rock mass.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.13-24
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• 2021

Tunnel boring machine (TBM) is widely used for tunnel excavation in hard rock and soft ground. In the perspective of TBM-based tunneling, one of the main challenges is to drive the machine optimally according to varying geological conditions, which could significantly lead to saving highly expensive costs by reducing the total operation time. Generally, drilling investigations are conducted to survey the geological ground before the TBM tunneling. However, it is difficult to provide the precise ground information over the whole tunnel path to operators because it acquires insufficient samples around the path sparsely and irregularly. To overcome this issue, in this study, we proposed a geological type classification system using the TBM operating data recorded in a 5 s sampling rate. We first categorized the various geological conditions (here, we limit to granite) as three geological types (i.e., rock, soil, and mixed type). Then, we applied the preprocessing methods including outlier rejection, normalization, and extracting input features, etc. We adopted a deep neural network (DNN), which has 6 hidden layers, to classify the geological types based on TBM operating data. We evaluated the classification system using the 10-fold cross-validation. Average classification accuracy presents the 75.4% (here, the total number of data were 388,639 samples). Our experimental results still need to improve accuracy but show that geology information classification technique based on TBM operating data could be utilized in the real environment to complement the sparse ground information.