Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.17794/rgn.2026.4.3
NUMERICAL SIMULATION AND REGRESSION-BASED PREDICTION OF ROTARY DISC CUTTER FORCES IN TBM ROCK CUTTING
Ebrahim Farrokh
; Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran, Iran.
*
Hamid Rokhy
; R&D division of Tunnel Saz Machine Co., Tehran, Iran.
Davood Lotfi
; R&D division of Tunnel Saz Machine Co., Tehran, Iran.
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
This study introduces a computational framework for estimating disc cutter forces during rotary cutting in Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs), combining LS‑DYNA with a Smoothed Particle Galerkin (SPG) approach and the Riedel–Hiermaier–Thoma (RHT) material model. A total of 58 simulations were performed to examine how cutter forces vary wit radial installation position, rock strength, contact area, and cutter spacing. The results demonstrate that normal, rolling, and side forces increase with rock compressive strength and contact interface size, but decrease as the cutter’s installation radius grows. Regression analysis based on natural logarithmic transformations yielded predictive equations with high accuracy (R² = 0.80–0.91). Each fitted parameter is reported with its standard error and 95% confidence interval, ensuring transparency, reproducibility, and statistical robustness.
Keywords
Rotary disc cutting; SPG; RHT; Cutter force prediction; Regression-based modelling
Hrčak ID:
349840
URI
Publication date:
21.7.2026.
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