A Simplified Numerical Method to Determine the Loads Acting on the Cutterhead of a Compound Shield

In order to determine the loads acting on the cutterhead of a compound shield, this paper aims at the large-scale and fully coupled system of the excavation face. Firstly, a new model is proposed to calculate the loads acting on a single cutter, in which the earth pressure of the chamber is taken into consideration. Then, by transforming the large-scale nonlinear contact problem into a smaller one, we set up the governing equations only including the penetration depth of cutters in the approach of the sub-structure condensation, to calculate the loads acting on the cutterhead. Finally, the relationship between the penetration per revolution and the total thrust and total torque acting on the cutters of the cutterhead of a compound shield is investigated.