Numerical simulation of rock fragmentation process induced by two TBM cutters and cutter spacing optimization

TBM performance depends on the rock breakage efficiency induced by TBM cutterhead. The rock breakage process is the interaction process between TBM and rock mass, which is affected by the TBM specifications, such as cutter thrust force, cutter tip width and profile, cutter spacing, revolution per minute, and torque, and rock mass properties mainly including rock material strength, rock brittleness index, joint spacing and orientation. In this...