Cutter Consumption — Boulder Field / Glacial Till
Disc/tool consumption and change shifts for boulder field / glacial till.
Boulders are random impact events — a clean till run consumes little, then one erratic granite block costs three discs and a shift. Plan consumption as a distribution with a fat tail, not an average.
Formula
Note: Planning-level tunnelling estimate — actual TBM performance is set by detailed geotechnical baseline data, machine design and the contractor's means & methods. Use for feasibility framing only.
Disc/tool consumption and change shifts for boulder field / glacial till. A free tbm performance & tunnelling tool — no sign-up, no upload, instant results in your browser.
About Cutter Consumption — Boulder Field / Glacial Till
Cutter Consumption — Boulder Field / Glacial Till computes the governing relationship cutters = (π/4·D²·L) ÷ m³-per-cutter live as you type. Boulders are random impact events — a clean till run consumes little, then one erratic granite block costs three discs and a shift. Plan consumption as a distribution with a fat tail, not an average. Defaults are pre-filled with realistic values for this exact scenario, and the worked example substitutes your numbers step by step so the math is never a black box.
How to use Cutter Consumption — Boulder Field / Glacial Till
- 1Enter your values — TBM diameter, Drive length, Rock volume per cutter, Cutter cost (supplied+fitted) and more (sensible defaults are pre-filled).
- 2Read the live results: Excavated volume, Cutters consumed, Cutter budget, Change shifts.
- 3Check the "with your numbers" line to see cutters = (π/4·D²·L) ÷ m³-per-cutter substituted step by step.
- 4Adjust inputs until the scenario matches yours, then copy or share the result.
Why use Cutter Consumption — Boulder Field / Glacial Till?
- ✓Instant, free and private — every calculation runs client-side in your browser; nothing is uploaded
- ✓Built on the stated formula cutters = (π/4·D²·L) ÷ m³-per-cutter with authoritative sources cited on the page (Colorado School of Mines TBM performance model; NTNU prediction model — hard-rock TBM performance)
- ✓Boulders are random impact events — a clean till run consumes little, then one erratic granite block costs three discs and a shift.
- ✓SI ⇄ Imperial toggle converts your inputs in place, so you can work in the units your drawings use
Frequently asked questions
What formula does the cutter consumption — boulder field / glacial till use?+
It evaluates cutters = (π/4·D²·L) ÷ m³-per-cutter, exactly as published. Sources: Colorado School of Mines TBM performance model; NTNU prediction model — hard-rock TBM performance. The substituted worked example on the page lets you verify every step against the textbook.
How should I read the result — and how far can I trust it?+
Boulders are random impact events — a clean till run consumes little, then one erratic granite block costs three discs and a shift. Planning-level tunnelling estimate — actual TBM performance is set by detailed geotechnical baseline data, machine design and the contractor's means & methods. Use for feasibility framing only.
When is this calculator the right tool for the job?+
Disc/tool consumption and change shifts for boulder field / glacial till. A free tbm performance & tunnelling tool. Plan consumption as a distribution with a fat tail, not an average. For neighbouring scenarios, the related tools below cover the same engine with different presets.
Does it support both metric and imperial units?+
Yes — the SI ⇄ Imperial toggle converts the values already in the fields, preserving the physical quantity, so you can flip mid-calculation without re-entering anything.
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