A Probabilistic Geostatistics-Based Approach to Tunnel Boring Machine Cutter Tool Wear and Cutterhead Clogging Prediction
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 12
Abstract
The application of geostatistical analyses of site investigation data for tunneling projects has gained significant attention in the literature. While the proposed techniques are useful for modeling the spatial variability and uncertainty in subsurface conditions, the extension of these techniques to the mitigation of critical tunneling risks in soils is limited. This paper demonstrates how a geostatistical approach can be used to characterize cutter tool wear and cutterhead clogging, two critical risks associated with mechanized tunneling in soils. A case study using data from the Seattle Northgate Link tunnel project is presented and validated by actual construction data reported. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach provides significantly more accurate prediction of the necessary mitigation measures than the conventional deterministic approach, providing significant estimated cost savings with a 40%–42% reduction in estimated tool replacements and a 17% reduction in estimated conditioning volume for this project.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code used during the study were provided by a third party (project data). Direct request for these materials may be made to the provider as indicated in the Acknowledgments. Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request (code for geostatistical analysis and results).
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank the National Science Foundation and the Partnership for International Research and Education (PIRE) for the financial support of this research and SoundTransit for providing the data used in this study.
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Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 12 • December 2021
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© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: May 12, 2020
Accepted: Aug 17, 2021
Published online: Sep 30, 2021
Published in print: Dec 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Feb 28, 2022
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