STUDY OF PARAMETERS IMPACTING PRODUCTIVITY OF TUNNEL BORING MACHINES
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Date
2017-01-17Author
Hashem Pour, Hamed
0000-0002-6156-8092
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Tunnel construction has been on the rise for transportation of humans, freight and fluids.
For a successful tunneling project, it is necessary for that tunneling contractors to have
sufficient data about scope of work, project features and characteristics of the ground to
estimate advance rate of the a tunnel boring machine (TBM). The main objective of this
thesis is to study tunneling case studies and literature to analyze TBM productivity based
on ground conditions, diameter and length of each project. Project data was tabulated
and results are reported in this thesis. The methodology to conduct this research was
literature search through databases such as ProQuest, Engineering Village, Science
Direct, Google Scholar, and ASCE Library. Additionally, Tunnels and Tunneling
Magazine as well as TBM manufactures’ Websites, etc. were studied. The conclusions of
this thesis show that in-depth ground investigations, such as using pilot tunnels, will
improve construction productivity of tunnel operations. Other factors impacting
productivity include compressive strength of rocks or hard grounds, rock abrasivity,
tunnel diameter, location of project (whether it is urban or rural) and other factors as they
are determined in this thesis.