Working phases

1) Tunneling phase
2) Segment (Ring) building phase

Tunneling phase
The cutter wheel makes 2.7 revolutions /minute by pressing against tunnel face.
The maximum pressure can be given on tunneling face is 400 bar
[In our construction TTA -JV,we use 70 bar 350 bar pressure]
There are 24 hydraulic motors to rotate a cutter wheel with a drilling torque of 38000kNm
All are gearing mechanisms
During cutting soil can be conditioned with water foam or Bentonite using injection system
present on backup.
There is a nozzle through which injected bentonite enters into excavation chamber along with
excavated soil by means of earth pressure and water pressure.
In unstable soil ,support pressure is provided on tunnel face to compensate it
This helps to avoid deeper penetration
In EPB shield the excavated soil is used to support tunnel face.
Now this support pressure is transferred by hydraulic cylinders present at bulkhead to maintain
a STATE OF EQUILIBRIUM & to avoid uncontrolled penetration.
Now the soil in excavated chamber is transferred through invert area to belt conveyor by a
screw conveyor system.

STATE OF EQUILIBRIUM
Soil removed by screw conveyor equals the soil accumulated from scheels during excavation.
Upon this ,this device must be flexible to geological conditions.
Sensors at the tip of blades can measure the cutting wheel torque,screwconveyor torque & to
monitor excavated material.
Then operator stops the machine if some wear is reached.

RING BUILDING PHASE

This is done in shield area under atmospheric pressure conditions.
A ring one ring made up of 6 segments with final 6th segment called as key segment.
The segment is of width 1.4 m.
Segment is made up of material prefabricated RCC made in fabrication yard.
These lining segments are transported into tunnel by mine cars or by 6 gantries with +2 extra
gantries.
These lining segments are lifted individually by special transfer crane placed at backup [ie at
front section of backup]
The segment feeder then transport these panels or liming segments infront of tunnel.
These segments are fixed in position using erector with vaccum plate which lifts it from segment
feeder.
This erector is installed on two rails that can be rotated moved & telescoped.
 Once one ring is completely made ,the hydraulic cylinder gets retracted to a distance of 1.9m.
Then the next ring panels are placed & protected by hydraulic cylinders by extending &
simultaneously bolting of panels with previous panel is done.
Shield skin protects machine & personnel against earth pressure
Tail skin present at the end of shield skin is circular in shape,.It acts as a sealing i.e a seal
between sealed structure of shield machine & segment ring.
That is it makes zero pressure on ring from outer shield skin & from soil.
The remaining annular gap b/w lining segments and soil is filled with grout via injection holes in
tail skin or in lining segments i.e this grout acts as a bed for tunnel tube and also it stabilizes the
soil.

Other accessories and functions

Special wheel houses to pull the backup braced against tunnel wall.

Pumping system
Ventilation system
Switch cabinets
Storage containers
Laser instrumentation
Belt conveyor Machine belt conveyor
Cross belt conveyor
Tunnel belt conveyor

Repair & Maintenance

Cutter blades & others are properly checked.
These intervals depends on hardneaa & abrasiveness of geology.
Sensor on tip give an alarm ,in control room when certain wear is reached.

Replacement of tools
First excavation chamber is partially emptied.
This cavity is filled with compressed air & to stabilize the tunnel face.
There is a manlock to carryout work of replacing.

Done in three steps

1. Quick release fasteners are removed.

2. Disk cutter taken out.
3. Replace with new one.

Other Instrumentations
. (Checking and analyzing purpose)

Since tunnelling can result in a significant range of vibrations to the adjacent buildings, instrumentation
in all locations adjacent to the tunnelling areas is required. Monitoring instruments which are given
below and many more are installed to monitor the movement and of structure on a daily basis.
 Settlement Points used for monitoring vertical settlement on horizontal and vertical surfaces of
a building or a structure.
Piezometer which is used for measuring magnitude and distribution of pore water pressure and
its variation with time.
Inclinometer which is designed for measurement of lateral movement of any structure.
Load Cell used for measuring and monitoring forces on a modular structural strutting.