Abstract Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) shield machines are widely used in mechanized tunneling operations in soft grounds. In contrast to slurry shield machines, the pressure distribution in EPB excavation chambers is not well undersood, as it is influenced by the muck properties and the chamber design. A computational model specifically developed in Dang and Meschke (2018) for the numerical simulation of material transport in EPB pressure chambers is employed to investigate the pressure distribution in two different types of EPB chambers, characterized by a different design of the mixing components, the rotators and the screw conveyor. The numerical model allows for the description of all rotating and fixed components of the EPB chambers including the screw conveyor and considers adequately the compressibility and the consistency of the soil paste. The spatio-temporal pressure distribution is investigated with respect to the influence of chamber design and the properties of the soil paste. Essential characteristics of the pressure distribution, such as the pressure unbalance between the left and right side and pressure fluctuations observed in in situ measurements are captured by the numerical analyses. The key factors influencing the pressure unbalance and pressure fluctuations are identified by parametric studies for two different EPB chamber designs.

中文翻译：

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渣土特性和腔室设计对 EPB 压力腔中压力分布的影响——来自计算流动模拟的见解

摘要 土压平衡（EPB）盾构机广泛应用于松软地层机械化隧道掘进作业。与泥浆盾构机相比，EPB 挖掘室中的压力分布不太好，因为它受泥土特性和室设计的影响。Dang 和 Meschke (2018) 专门开发的计算模型用于对 EPB 压力室中的材料传输进行数值模拟，用于研究两种不同类型的 EPB 室中的压力分布，其特征在于混合组件的不同设计，旋转器和螺旋输送机。数值模型允许描述 EPB 室的所有旋转和固定组件，包括螺旋输送机，并充分考虑了土浆的可压缩性和稠度。针对腔室设计的影响和土浆的性质，研究了时空压力分布。数值分析捕获了压力分布的基本特征，例如左右侧之间的压力不平衡和在原位测量中观察到的压力波动。通过对两种不同 EPB 腔室设计的参数研究，确定了影响压力不平衡和压力波动的关键因素。例如左右侧压力不平衡和原位测量中观察到的压力波动都被数值分析捕获。通过对两种不同 EPB 腔室设计的参数研究，确定了影响压力不平衡和压力波动的关键因素。例如左右侧压力不平衡和原位测量中观察到的压力波动都被数值分析捕获。通过对两种不同 EPB 腔室设计的参数研究，确定了影响压力不平衡和压力波动的关键因素。