Selection of options for method of execution – TBM, DBM

Drill and blast or tunnel boring machines?

Prof.Dr.Nuh Bilgin, ITU, Chairman of Turkish Tunnelling Society

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 The main differences between drill and blast and TBM tunnellng

The Drill & Blast technique includes the following steps:

1. Drilling
2. Explosive charging
3. Blasting
4. Ventilation
5. Mucking and scaling
6. Support: shotcrete and bolting
Excavation with a TBM is a continious system, wile it is cutting the
ground, the spoil is trasported continously usulayy with a belt conveyor

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 Drilling and Blasting Method

Ref:https://railsystem.net/drill-and-blast-method/

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 Drill and blast or tunnel boring machines?
There are two main methods for the excavation of tunnels in the
rock. Drill & Blast technique and Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM).

Emission charging track

Multi arms drilling Jumbo bY Nuh Bilgin

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Tunnelling by conventional methods

Ref: ITA report No: 002, April 2009 By Nuh Bilgin

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 Different types of TBM

Zheng, Y.L., Zhang, Q.B., Zhao, J, 2016. Challenges and opportunities of using tunnel boring machines in mining
Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology 57, 287–299

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Drill and blast or tunnel boring machines?

Comparaison of the two methods:

• Site preparation time:
D&B less startup time
TBM 3-12 months

• Excavation rate:
D&B 2-6 m per day, depending on tunnel cross section and the ground
TBM 10-30 m per day, depending on the ground type
By Nuh Bilgin

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 The variation of the cost of Drill & Blast and the cost of TBM tunnelling
with tunnel length

In Drill and Blast: design cost is

lower than TBM,
initial investmen is less than TBM,
construction
Costs not vary much in DB, in TBM
construction costs changes
considerably

Ref: https://bestsupportunderground.com/tbm-drill-and-blast/?lang=en, afThe variation of

tunnelling cost in Drill & Blast and TBM with excavation length By Nuh Bilgin
ter Putzmeister
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 Comparison between drill and blast related to health, safety, and working
environment

Drill and Blast TBM

Safety Lower Higher
Storage and handling explosives Serious accident risk Avoided
Support installation Shotcrete, bolts, steel rings Usually precast segments
Working environment Temporary worse, toxic gazes Improved
Principal safety risk Handling and storage of Fire of hydraulic oils, cutter
explosives, loading, and hauling changes

Ref: Macias, F.J.Bruland, A., 2014. D&B versus TBM: Review of the parameters for a right choice of the
excavation method, Rock Engineering, and Rock Mechanics: Structures in and on Rock Masses – Alejano,
Perucho, Olalla & Jiménez (Eds), Taylor & Francis Group, London, 978-1-138-00149-7
By Nuh Bilgin

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 Main points to be concidered

There are significant numbers of TBM projects that require completion

by drill-and-blast excavation from the other end. A big investment and
big delays are the price paid.

TBM could or should have been used only on the better investigated
portion of such projects.

The deliberate selection of both TBM and drill-and-blast may often be a

simple matter of common sense, giving schedule advantages and cost
savings. By Nuh Bilgin

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Comparative study of tunnelling by drill and blast and TBM in Kargı HEPP
Project, in Turkey

The following example is given of the Kargı HEPP project where the
excavation started from the Eastern portal by a 10 m diameter double
shield TBM.
Due to the unexpected geology, at the beginning, the progress rate was
slow due to face collapses, and TBM squeezing. To reach the scheduled
project termination, it also decided to excavate the tunnel from the
Western portal. This gave the opportunity to compare drill and blast and
TBM tunnelling.

By Nuh Bilgin

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A Study of TBM boring vs. conventional tunnel excavation, Kargi HEPP
Project from Turkey
Tunnel length 11.8 km, TBM double shield of 10 m diameter

GEOLOGY AT TIME OF TBM ORDER

Ref: The Kargi Challenge, A Study of TBM Boring vs. Conventional Excavation, Presented by Lok Home,
President, The Robbins Company, Tunnel expo Turkey 2008

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 Kargı HEPP Project, Turkey

GEOLOGY OF PROJECT AT 50% COMPLETE

Ref: The Kargi Challenge, A Study of TBM Boring vs. Conventional Excavation, Presented by Lok Home,
President, The Robbins Company, Tunnel expo Turkey 2008

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Kargı HEPP Tunnel Challenges, Turkey

When TBM is jammed or blocked ,

usually a bypass tunnel is open to
free TBM

Photo: Bypass Tunnel crossing

the top of the TBM cutterhead

By Lok Home Robbins Company

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 Kargı HEPP Tunnel Challenges, Turkey

In the first two kilometers, six bypass tunnels were needed

Geology proved to be far more difficult than reported

Cavity heights above the cutterhead at over 30 m were measured

An additional 7th bypass tunnel was required to free the trapped TBM shields
due to squeezing ground

Bypass tunnels dangerous hand tunnels were all completed safely and in a
timely manner.
By Nuh Bilgin

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 Kargı HEPP Tunnel Challenges, Turkey

• TBM was launched in April

2012
• After boring 80 m the TBM
became stuck in a section of Soil and Stone ahead
of Bypass Tunnel
collapsed ground
• Mixed face of hard rock and
running ground water
• A bypass tunnel was
required, taking about 5
weeks
By Nuh Bilgin

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 Kargı HEPP Tunnel Challenges, Turkey

Robbins Field Service, Statkraft and

Gülermak worked together to
develop effective TBM modifications
Robbins engineered a custom
canopy drill and positioner for
Gülermak to allow pipe tube support
installation through the forward
shield

By Lok Home, from Robbins Company

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 Modification of TBM in Kargı Project

Cutterhead Drive Torque capability increased by more than 50%.

It is ensured that both the probe drilling and increased

cutterhead torque capabilities were successful.

Other modifications included increased thrust by hydraulic

powerpack cylinder jacks, overboring capabilities, shield
lubrification, and belt scales

By Nuh Bilgin

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 Advance rate of TBM before modifications in Kargı Project, Turkey

Advance Rates before Modifications

• Average 350 329.4
advance before 300 282.1
266.7 253.05
modifications: 250
198.8
200 177.7
144.2 m/month 150
141.7
124.8
• Average 100 62.5
54.8
74.6 79.9 80
35.7
advance after 50
1.6
0
modifications:

Au 2
Ap 2

Ap 3
Se 2

O 2

D 2

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M 3
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12

Fe 3
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3
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407.7 m/month

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 Advance rate of TBM after modifications in Kargı Project, Turkey

Advance Rates after Modifications

800 723.2
700 649.5 663.3 671.7
602.9 630.4
585.7
600
Average 500 460.8 433.2
advance after 400
modifications: 300
200
407.7 99.149 106.3
100 36.04
m/month 14.3 31.05
0
Au 3

4
M 4
N 3
13

13

14
Se 3
13

D 3

Ja 3

4
M 4

Ju 4
l- 1

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 Delays and new plans for drilling and blasting starting from Western
portal, with TBM advancing from Eastern portal

• Planned time to excavate first 2 km: 5 to 6 mo.

• Actual time to excavate first 2 km: 13 mo.
• Drill and Blast heading started at inlet, to run for 4 km

By Nuh Bilgin

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The equipment used in Kargı Tunnel for drill and blast tunnelling

By Nuh Bilgin

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Some photographs from Kargı Tunnel on drill and blast tunnelling

Encountered April 2013

Ground Support: 4 m long
rock bolts, 6m long Ct
bolts, 6 m long spiles, two
layers of wire mesh with
shotcrete up to 25 cm
thickness
Time to install Ground
Support : About 20% of
total time (operating 24
hours per day)
Average 100 m in one
month; 2.3 m per day

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 Drill and Blast Tunnel Monthly Progress Report
300 281.5
238.5 253
241
250 231 230
224 224
Advance Rate (m)

200 187 183 187 186

176.5
172
160
150 142.7 141 136 128

100 102
100
57.5
50
17
0
M 3
3

M 4
4
Fe 3

13

14
3

4
Au 2

Au 3
N 2

M 3

N 3

M 4
Se 2
12

D 2
2

Se 3
13

D 3
3
l-1

l-1
1

-1

-1

-1

-1
1

-1

-1
1

-1

-1
-1

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By Nuh Bilgin

Online Training Program on Tunnels & Tunnelling

A DDAG, AFA initiative
 Overall Comparisons in Kargı HEPP Tunnel

TBM
Boring length: 7.8 km
Months to complete: 28
Average advance: 271.4 m per month
D&B
Boring length: 4 km
Months to complete: 23
Average advance: 173.8 m per month
By Nuh Bilgin

Online Training Program on Tunnels & Tunnelling

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 Overall comparisons in Kargı HEPP Tunnel

Overall Comparisons in Kargı HEPP Tunnel

TBM D&B
Best Month (m) 723.2 281.5
Best Day (m) 39.6 12
Monthly Average (m) 271.4 173.8

Weeks w/out advance 38 8

Time to Mobilize 16 monts 4 monts

By Nuh Bilgin

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 Overall Comparisons in Kargı HEPP Tunnel

The choise between drill and blast tunnelling and TBM tunnelling
mainly depends on:
1.The length of tunnel
2.Time schedule of the project
3.Are we ready on high initial investment?
3. How we are confident on the geology baseline report
4. Environmental restrictions

By Nuh Bilgin

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References:
Books on Drilling, and Blasting
1.Mohanty. B., 1996Rock Fragmentation by Blasting Hardcover, CRC Press; 1st
edition, ISBN-13 : 978-9054108245, p.472
2.Jimeno, C.L., Jimeno, E.L., Carcedo, F.J.A, 1995, Drilling and Blasting of Rocks, CRC
Press, ISBN-13978-9054101994
Books on TBM Tunnelling
1.Bilgin, N.,Copur, ., Balci, C., Mechanical Excavation in Mining and Civil Industries,
CRC Press ISBN13: 9781466584747, p.388
2.Bilgin, N.,Copur, ., Balci, C, 2016. Tbm Excavation in Difficult Ground Conditions:
Case Studies from Turkey, Ernst & Sohn Verlag fur Architektur und Technische,
Wilhelm, ISBN13: 9783433031506, p 354

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Report of ITA on Conventional Tunnelling
ITA report No: 002, April 2009
Papers on the Comparison of Drilling and Blasting Tunnelling and TBM
Drives
1.Macias, F.J.Bruland, A., 2014. D&B versus TBM: Review of the
parameters for a right choice of the excavation method, Rock
Engineering, and Rock Mechanics: Structures in and on Rock Masses –
Alejano, Perucho, Olalla & Jiménez (Eds), Taylor & Francis Group,
London, 978-1-138-00149-7
2.Singh, P.S, Zoldy, D.A., 2012. The choice between tunnel boring
machine and drill and blast, systems. Montreal TAC 2012, Tunnels and
Underground Spaces
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I thank you very much for attending my presentation

Prof. Dr Nuh Bilgin

Chairman of Turkish Tunnelling Society

March 2022

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