Abstract
In accordance with the increase of the demmands for small diameter waterways, TBM has been watched with keenest interest recently. However, the standard for the objective judgement on the TBM feasibility has not been established as yet. The rate of penetration of TBM plays an important role as to her feasibility as the machine-operating rate as well.
The authors carried out multivariate analysis to predict the rate of penetration by adopting those data, both mechanical and geological, obtained in-situ through driving an area of competent rock mass.
Through this analysis, it has become clear that the rate of penetration is very sensitive to the mechanical factors including the effectiveness of much scraping, and that there is a distinctive change in the rate of penetration between the rock mass class CH and B-CH.
