Cutter Consumption — Karst (Voids & Infill)
Disc/tool consumption and change shifts for karst (voids & infill).
Karst alternates clean limestone (gentle) with chert nodules and abrasive cave infill (harsh). The cutter line is volatile, but the project killer is the void itself — grouting campaigns, not discs, write the cheques here.
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 karst (voids & infill). A free tbm performance & tunnelling tool — no sign-up, no upload, instant results in your browser.
About Cutter Consumption — Karst (Voids & Infill)
Cutter Consumption — Karst (Voids & Infill) computes the governing relationship cutters = (π/4·D²·L) ÷ m³-per-cutter live as you type. Karst alternates clean limestone (gentle) with chert nodules and abrasive cave infill (harsh). The cutter line is volatile, but the project killer is the void itself — grouting campaigns, not discs, write the cheques here. 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 — Karst (Voids & Infill)
- 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 — Karst (Voids & Infill)?
- ✓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)
- ✓Karst alternates clean limestone (gentle) with chert nodules and abrasive cave infill (harsh).
- ✓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 — karst (voids & infill) 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?+
Karst alternates clean limestone (gentle) with chert nodules and abrasive cave infill (harsh). 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 karst (voids & infill). A free tbm performance & tunnelling tool. The cutter line is volatile, but the project killer is the void itself — grouting campaigns, not discs, write the cheques here. 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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