Vibration Test and Analysis of a Working Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) in Underground Mine

Abstract

For mechanical equipment including the tunnel boring machine (TBM), vibration analysis is one of the mainstream methods to release its working properties, to study its reliability, and hopefully to optimize the design of its structure. Vibration test of a working TMB in underground mine was carried out and introduced briefly, followed by explanation of the vibration strength and the frequency structure of the vibration at different critical components of the machine, i.e., the cutting arm and its supporting turntable. Furthermore, based on time-frequency analysis of the signals, several typical instantaneous frequencies are picked out beyond the theoretical operation frequencies of the machine. These highlighted frequencies are treated as special instantaneous response frequencies and are expected to be used in the research on the impact workload over the components, as well as to research on the operational vibration modal identification of the critical components of TBM.