ABSTRACT
Mechanized tunneling using tunnel boring machines (TBMs) has successfully led to many underground infrastructure projects with various ground conditions. Nevertheless, construction under changing ground conditions is still challenging because it causes uncertainty when optimizing TBM operation parameters. Numerical methods, which simulate the advance and excavation process of TBMs, are effective ways to analyze ground behavior and predict operational parameters by considering complex ground conditions and geometries. However, this has not been well established because it involves a large deformation problem in the surrounding ground. The Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) method can be considered a capable approach for large deformation problems in geotechnical engineering. This study presents a three-dimensional large deformation finite element model for TBM tunneling using the CEL method. Under specific operating conditions, TBM thrust force, cutterhead torque, and working chamber pressure were analyzed. The effect of changing ground conditions on TBM operation parameters was investigated.
