ABSTRACT
The growing global population density has significantly increased the demand for infrastructure projects, raised the need for innovative and cost effective solutions. Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) have become a widely used method for tunneling, with advancements in TBM technology to meet diverse project requirements. The precise selection of the TBM characteristics is vital for ensuring both economic efficiency and safe construction. Whereas underestimating these may lead to a compromise on safety and performance, overestimation could involve unnecessary cost. Considering these challenges, an extensive database containing design parameters from over 300 TBMs across global projects has been complied. This database serves as a guide for determining key TBM specifications, including torque capacity, thrust capacity, driving power, and segmental lining configuration which is also critical for design phase. Statistical analyses were conducted to explore the relationships between TBM design parameters for diverse geological conditions, and results were scrutinized to validate these correlations.
