Prediction of lateral continuous wear of cutter ring in soft ground with quartz sand.

This note presents an investigation on the lateral continuous wear caused weight loss of disc cutter in soft ground condition with quartz sand. The energy consumed during the wearing process is evaluated by analysing the friction process. The contact pressure on cutter ring is analysed by the cavity expansion theory. A regressed equation is proposed to convert the consumed energy into the weight loss of a disc cutter. A new model to predict the lateral continuous wear of cutter rings is then proposed. The model is validated using the field observed data from tunnel constructed in Shenzhen, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]