Effect of tail brush compression behavior on sealing failure of shield tunneling machine

Abstract

In recent years, with the rapid expansion of transportation infrastructure, shield tunnels have encountered increasingly severe soil and water conditions, which present significant challenges for shield tail sealing. In this study, a comprehensive shield sealing failure test device is developed, integrating the tail brush, sealing grease, and external water pressure. The sealing failure evolution is investigated through quantitative analysis of leakage rates and internal pressure distribution. The results show that the leakage evolution can be categorized into three stages: the sealed stage, the micro water leakage stage, and the gushing stage. The compression force of the shield tail brush is a direct factor affecting the breakdown pressure, and a large compression deformation model of the shield tail is proposed to evaluate the breakdown pressure. The findings of this study offer valuable insights for preventing sealing failures, such as guiding the selection of appropriate tail brushes and managing the tail clearance of shield machines.

Keywords

Shield tail sealing / Sealing performance / Shield tail brush / Breakdown pressure / Leakage rate

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