Theoretical and numerical studies of rock breaking mechanism by double disc cutters

A plane mechanical model of rock breaking process by double disc cutter at the center of the cutterhead is established based on contact mechanics to analyze the stress evolution in the rock broken by cutters with different spacings. A continuous-discontinuous coupling numerical method based on zero-thickness cohesive elements is developed to simulate rock breaking using double cutters. The process, mechanism,and characteristics of rock breaking are comprehensively analyzed from five aspects: peak force, breaking form, breaking efficiency, crack mode, and breaking degree. The results show that under the penetrating action of cutters, dense cores are formed due to shear failure under respective cutters. The tensile cracks propagate in the rock, and then rock chips form with increasing penetration depth. When the cutter spacing is increased from 10 to 80 mm, the peak force gradually increases, the rock breaking range increases first and then decreases, the specific energy decreases first and then rises, and the breaking coefficient of intermediate rock decreases from 0.955 to 0.788. The area of rock breaking is positively correlated with the length of the tensile crack. Furthermore, the length of the tensile crack accounts for 14.4%–33.6% of the total crack length.

Mechanical model of breaking rock and force characteristic of disc cutter

According to the cutting characteristics of progressive spiral movement by rotary cutting of the disc cutter, using the broken theory of interaction of compression and shearing, the three-axis force rotary cutting mechanical model of disc cutter was established and the influence of installation radius, the phase difference and the cutter space on the mechanics of disc cutter were analyzed. The results show that on the same radial line of tunneling interface, the boring distance of cutting tools installed on a different radius is not equal. The cutting radial line of tunneling interface is a polyline and its height is determined by phase angle and penetration of cutting tools. Both phase difference and the installation radius between adjacent disc cutters have little effect on the vertical force and rolling force, but increase with the increase in cutter spacing. In addition, when increasing phase difference and cutter space bilaterally, and reducing installation radius simultaneously, the lateral force would be improved. Related results have been verified onl O0 t rotary tool cutting test platform.