Cutter Consumption — Mixed Ground (Impact Damage)
Disc/tool consumption and change shifts for mixed ground (impact damage).
Mixed faces don't wear cutters — they BREAK them: impact through the rock/soil interface chips rings and cracks bearings. The 'consumption' figure here is mostly damage, which is why it rivals hard rock despite softer average ground.
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 mixed ground (impact damage). A free tbm performance & tunnelling tool — no sign-up, no upload, instant results in your browser.
About Cutter Consumption — Mixed Ground (Impact Damage)
Cutter Consumption — Mixed Ground (Impact Damage) computes the governing relationship cutters = (π/4·D²·L) ÷ m³-per-cutter live as you type. Mixed faces don't wear cutters — they BREAK them: impact through the rock/soil interface chips rings and cracks bearings. The 'consumption' figure here is mostly damage, which is why it rivals hard rock despite softer average ground. 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 — Mixed Ground (Impact Damage)
- 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 — Mixed Ground (Impact Damage)?
- ✓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)
- ✓Mixed faces don't wear cutters — they BREAK them: impact through the rock/soil interface chips rings and cracks bearings.
- ✓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 — mixed ground (impact damage) 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?+
Mixed faces don't wear cutters — they BREAK them: impact through the rock/soil interface chips rings and cracks bearings. 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 mixed ground (impact damage). A free tbm performance & tunnelling tool. The 'consumption' figure here is mostly damage, which is why it rivals hard rock despite softer average ground. 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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