Underground mine large-gradient small-turning TBM construction method

Abstract

The invention discloses an underground mine large-gradient small-turning TBM construction method, and belongs to the technical field of underground mine roadway tunneling. The method aims at solving the problems that a traditional TBM is discontinuous in deslagging, low in safety and poor in adaptability under complex working conditions. Through the modular trailer design, the TBM equipment has the capability of rapidly switching the deslagging mode according to the working condition (a gate way or a large-gradient small-turning roadway); a continuous belt conveyor, buffer residue storage and segmented transfer combined residue discharging system is adopted, and non-interruption continuous transportation of residue soil is achieved; tBM tunneling is utilized to directly excavate and form various functional chambers required subsequently, and integrated conversion of procedures is achieved; and all pipelines and equipment are arranged in a limited roadway section in an intensive and layered manner, and supporting and material transportation space is reserved. The deep cooperation of tunneling, deslagging, supporting and material transportation is achieved, and the continuity, safety, efficiency and equipment adaptability of construction in complex mine roadways are remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of underground mine roadway excavation technology, and specifically discloses a TBM construction method for large-slope, small-turn underground mines. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of underground mine roadway excavation, full-face roadway boring machines (TBMs) have gradually become an important mechanized construction method, replacing the traditional drill and blast method, due to their high construction safety, good excavation efficiency, and excellent tunneling quality. Especially in projects such as intermediate level roadways and auxiliary roadways in metal mines, where there are high requirements for controlling surrounding rock disturbance and rapid roadway construction, TBM technology demonstrates significant advantages.

[0003] However, underground mine roadways are often constrained by mining layout and space, presenting complex working conditions such as steep slopes (e.g., 12%–15%) and small turning radii (e.g., 50m). These conditions pose severe challenges to the adaptability of TBM equipment, the compatibility of supporting systems, and the continuity of construction. Currently, conventional TBM construction methods are mostly designed for large-diameter, long, straight roadways in municipal and water conservancy fields, and are difficult to directly apply to the small-section (e.g., 3–4 meters), multi-turn, and steep-slope construction environment of underground mines.

[0004] Especially in terms of slag removal systems, existing technologies mainly rely on rail-mounted electric locomotives in conjunction with shuttle cars for transportation. This method is applicable in horizontal roadways, but in steep roadways, the electric locomotives have limited climbing ability (generally no more than 5%), posing significant safety hazards such as slippage and runaway, seriously affecting the continuity of slag removal and construction safety. If a continuous belt conveyor is used for slag removal, although the slope adaptability problem can be solved, it is limited by the narrow underground space and the layout of roadways with many turns. Auxiliary devices such as belt storage bins and transfer points are difficult to arrange, and problems such as belt misalignment and torsion are prone to occur at small-radius turns.

[0005] Furthermore, in traditional construction, TBM excavation and the excavation of subsequent functional chambers (such as slag storage chambers and belt conveyor driven chambers) are often carried out separately, requiring secondary construction through methods such as blasting and widening. This not only involves cumbersome procedures and long cycles but also causes secondary disturbance to the surrounding rock, affecting the stability of the tunnel. At the same time, the various pipelines (power supply, water supply, ventilation, drainage, etc.) in the narrow cross-section underground are arranged haphazardly, easily interfering with each other, posing safety risks, and also restricting the simultaneous implementation of auxiliary operations such as support and material transportation.

[0006] Therefore, existing TBM construction methods generally suffer from problems such as discontinuous muck removal, difficult system layout, poor process connection, low safety, and poor overall efficiency when dealing with complex working conditions such as steep slopes and small turns in underground mines. There is an urgent need for a TBM construction method that can systematically integrate tunneling, muck removal, support, and material transportation, and can flexibly adapt to different working conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies and provide a TBM construction method for steep slopes and small turns in underground mines.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: A method for constructing a TBM (Toyota Burmester Machine) with steep slopes and small turns in underground mines includes the following steps: A modular trailer interface and slag discharge port are reserved at the rear of the TBM equipment; Select the slag removal mode according to the working conditions of the roadway: for flat tunnels, use battery-powered cars in combination with shuttle cars for slag removal; for steep slopes and small turns, use a composite slag removal mode with continuous belt conveyors as the main method and battery-powered cars and shuttle cars in coordination. The functional chambers required for the continuous belt conveyor system are simultaneously formed by utilizing the roadways excavated during the TBM tunneling process; The power supply, water supply, ventilation, drainage, lighting and material transportation systems are integrated and arranged within the cross-section of the chamber; It enables simultaneous operations of tunneling, slag removal, support, and material transportation.

[0009] Furthermore, the composite slag discharge mode includes: The excavated soil is transferred from the TBM equipment to a continuous belt conveyor; A continuous belt conveyor transports the slag to a slag shuttle car for buffer storage; The slag was transported out of the mine by a shuttle car pulled by an electric locomotive to the mine entrance.

[0010] Furthermore, the modular trailer interface is designed to allow for the rapid installation of two or more trailers, with the trailers integrating a continuous belt conveyor system and material transfer components.

[0011] Furthermore, the functional chambers include at least one of a slag storage chamber, a belt conveyor drive chamber, a passing chamber, and a power supply chamber.

[0012] Furthermore, the process conversion includes: After the TBM tunneling reaches the intersection of the roadway, the passing chamber and the power supply chamber are excavated first; The TBM retreats to the fork for eccentric tunneling, and sequentially completes the excavation of the slag discharge and storage chamber, the slag discharge port of the continuous belt conveyor, the storage bin and the transition section; Install the modular trailer and continuous belt conveyor system, and complete system commissioning.

[0013] Furthermore, the pipelines within the chamber cross-section are arranged in a layered manner: The high-voltage cable is fixed at a high position along the side wall of the tunnel; The inlet and outlet pipes pass through the bottom of the track and are arranged in layers at the turning points; The ventilation duct is suspended from the top of the tunnel, and the sewage pipe is laid along the slope of the floor.

[0014] Furthermore, the present invention also includes a toothed material hoisting beam installed on the side of the continuous belt conveyor, and an electric hoist for supporting material transportation.

[0015] Furthermore, the continuous belt conveyor system is arranged in a segmented relay manner, with each segment of the belt conveyor being driven and tensioned independently, and is arranged at the turning points or slope change nodes of the roadway.

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention also includes integrating a mechanized support operation platform in the trailer area to realize automatic or semi-automatic operations for arch frame grabbing, positioning and mesh laying.

[0017] Furthermore, it is applicable to underground mine roadways with a cross-sectional diameter of 3-4 meters, a slope greater than 10%, and a turning radius of less than 60 meters.

[0018] Compared with existing technologies, the beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. This invention, through a "modular interface + condition-adaptive muck removal" mode, can quickly switch between conventional muck removal and composite muck removal modes according to tunnel conditions. In particular, the composite muck removal system with a continuous belt conveyor as its core completely overcomes the bottleneck of interruption in traditional rail transport on steep slopes, ensuring continuous transport of excavated soil, significantly reducing process conversion and equipment installation time, and systematically improving the continuity and overall construction efficiency of TBM tunneling operations.

[0019] 2. This invention replaces or assists high-risk rail transport on steep slopes with continuous and stable mechanical conveying, fundamentally eliminating major safety hazards such as vehicle slippage and runaway. Simultaneously, the integrated and layered arrangement of pipelines and equipment within the tunnel eliminates risks such as electrical leakage, water leakage, and poor ventilation caused by chaotic intersections, creating a safe and orderly working environment.

[0020] 3. This invention fully utilizes the tunneling capacity of the TBM to simultaneously excavate and form various functional chambers required for subsequent operations, minimizing the additional blasting and excavation work required by traditional methods. This not only saves blasting and labor costs but also reduces secondary disturbance to the surrounding rock, which is beneficial for maintaining the self-stability of the surrounding rock, thus embodying the unity of economy and engineering safety.

[0021] 4. This invention enables conventional small-diameter TBM equipment to cope with extreme mine roadway conditions such as steep slopes and small turning radii through a rapidly expandable modular system, successfully breaking through the application limitations of this type of TBM in complex underground environments and significantly broadening its applicable geological and engineering conditions.

[0022] 5. This invention, from a systems engineering perspective, integrates the subsystems of tunneling, slag removal, ventilation and drainage, material transportation, and emergency support into a unified design and spatial integration, achieving close connection and synchronous operation of each process. This collaborative "tunneling-transportation-support" operation mode is the fundamental guarantee for achieving the goals of safe, efficient, and continuous construction.

[0023] In summary, this invention not only addresses specific technical challenges in TBM construction of complex underground mine roadways, such as discontinuous slag removal, difficult system layout, and low safety, but also provides an innovative system solution from multiple dimensions, including efficiency, safety, cost, and adaptability, resulting in outstanding comprehensive benefits. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a TBM process conversion construction flowchart provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of the tunneling and slag removal process of the TBM equipment provided in the embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the installation and layout of the roadway process conversion equipment provided in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the continuous belt conveyor chamber layout provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0030] This invention provides a TBM construction method for steep slopes and small turns in underground mines. The specific embodiments of this invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following description is intended to clearly illustrate the technical solution and operation process of this invention, and not to limit the scope of protection of this invention.

[0031] The implementation of this method is based on a highly integrated system, which mainly includes: TBM equipment area 1, new trailer area 2, continuous conveyor body area 3, tensioning area 4, belt storage bin area 5, belt end slag discharge port 6, and key components such as integrated high-voltage cables 7, low-voltage cables 8, lighting strips 9, water inlet pipes 10, return water pipes 11, sewage pipes 12, ventilation ducts 13, continuous conveyor 14, frame-type conveyor frame 15, and material hoisting beams 17. Implementation begins with the initial configuration of the equipment. At the tail end of a conventional small-diameter TBM (tunnel boring machine), interfaces for modular trailers and belt conveyor slag discharge ports are pre-designed and reserved, laying the foundation for subsequent functional expansion. When the TBM is operating in underground mine roadways, the working conditions are first identified based on the actual design parameters of the roadway—including slope, turning radius, and cross-sectional dimensions. For gently sloping horizontal tunnel sections, an economical and mature rail transport method is adopted, namely, using battery-powered vehicles to pull shuttle cars for slag removal operations. However, when excavating into complex tunnels with steep gradients (e.g., exceeding 12%) and small turning radii (e.g., around 50 meters), the core mode of this invention is activated to perform a system process conversion. This conversion process is as follows: Figure 1 The TBM process conversion construction flowchart is shown below: The TBM first advances to the intersection of the auxiliary roadway, but does not immediately turn. Instead, it continues forward using its own tunneling capacity, directly excavating the passing chamber and power supply chamber necessary for the subsequent system. Subsequently, the TBM retreats to the fork position, adjusts its tunneling posture to perform "eccentric loading tunneling," and precisely excavates the slag storage chamber for accommodating the slag shuttle cars, the slag discharge interface section of the continuous conveyor belt, the belt storage bin, and the equipment installation transition section in sequence. These functional chambers, formed in one excavation by the TBM itself, minimize the need for traditional secondary blasting and erosion, significantly shorten preparation time, and protect the stability of the surrounding rock. Within the formed chamber space, construction personnel can quickly install the additional two (or more) modular trailers and the complete continuous conveyor belt system.

[0032] At this point, the equipment possesses the core capability to handle special working conditions. For example... Figure 2As shown in the TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) excavation and muck removal flowchart, in subsequent continuous tunneling, muck removal follows a complete and continuous path: face muck - TBM cutterhead hopper - TBM conveyor belt - continuous conveyor belt body area 3 - continuous conveyor belt tensioning area 4 - continuous conveyor belt storage bin area 5 - muck discharge port at the end of the belt 6 - muck storage shuttle car - muck transfer shuttle car - mine truck transport out of the shaft. The core of this process is that the continuous conveyor belt body area 3 enables reliable and continuous lifting and conveying on steep slopes, completely avoiding the risk of interruption caused by the insufficient climbing ability of traditional electric locomotives, and ensuring the continuity of tunneling operations. When the muck storage shuttle car is full, the muck is transferred to a dedicated transfer shuttle car, which is pulled by an electric locomotive with the corresponding slope traction capability to the bottom yard or a designated transfer point, and finally transported out of the shaft by mine trucks and other vehicles, thus forming a seamless and continuous transportation chain from the face to the surface.

[0033] To achieve efficient collaborative operation of the aforementioned complex system within a narrow space (typically a tunnel with a diameter of 3-4 meters), this invention employs a highly integrated layout for all equipment and pipelines within the tunnel, as shown in the cross-sectional layout scheme below. Figure 4 The cross-sectional layout of the continuous belt conveyor chamber is shown in the diagram. All pipelines are arranged according to strict layered and zoned principles: high-voltage cables 7 are fixed high along the sidewalls of the roadway, completely isolated from the equipment operating area to ensure electrical safety; ventilation ducts 13 are suspended in the center of the roadway ceiling to ensure air circulation; water inlet pipes 10 and return pipes 11 are laid along the designed route, passing through the bottom at necessary track crossing points, and are layered and isolated from cables and lighting lines to effectively prevent water and electricity leakage risks caused by cross-wear; sewage pipes 12 are laid along the slope of the roadway floor for gravity discharge; lighting strips 9 and low-voltage cables 8 are arranged on both sides, providing sufficient lighting without occupying the core operating passage. In terms of space utilization, the main frame of the continuous belt conveyor is usually located on one side of the roadway, while above it, a cantilevered toothed material hoisting beam 17 (equipped with an electric hoist) forms an independent material transport channel for conveying support materials, equipment parts, etc., ensuring that material supply and the main tunneling and slag removal operations do not interfere with each other.

[0034] Beyond muck removal and transportation, this invention deeply integrates the synergy between support and tunneling. The newly added modular trailer area 2 can integrate and store materials such as arch frames and mesh required for support, and reserves space for emergency support operations in the cross-sectional layout. This allows the TBM to respond quickly when encountering adverse geological sections, achieving close follow-up and even partial synchronous operation of tunneling and support, greatly enhancing construction safety and adaptability. The concept of this invention is not limited to the single implementation method described above. For example, in the muck removal system, for particularly long or more complex tunnels with bends, multiple sets of short-distance, flexible, compact belt conveyors can be used for segmented relay transportation, with each segment driven independently, to enhance system redundancy and local adaptability. In support operations, automated equipment such as robotic arms can be further integrated into the trailer platform to achieve mechanized arch frame grabbing and positioning, thereby elevating the "tunneling-support" synchronization to a higher level.

[0035] In summary, this specific implementation method, through a systematic approach, organically combines modular equipment design, integrated process conversion, intensive spatial layout, and collaborative operation of multiple subsystems, successfully solving the problems of continuity, safety, and efficiency in TBM construction in complex underground mine roadways, and providing a practical and feasible new solution for mechanized tunneling in mines.

[0036] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A TBM construction method for steep slopes and small turns in underground mines, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: A modular trailer interface and slag discharge port are reserved at the rear of the TBM equipment; Select the slag removal mode according to the working conditions of the roadway: for flat tunnels, use battery-powered cars in combination with shuttle cars for slag removal; for steep slopes and small turns, use a composite slag removal mode with continuous belt conveyors as the main method and battery-powered cars and shuttle cars in coordination. The functional chambers required for the continuous belt conveyor system are simultaneously formed by utilizing the roadways excavated during the TBM tunneling process; The power supply, water supply, ventilation, drainage, lighting and material transportation systems are integrated and arranged within the cross-section of the chamber; It enables simultaneous operations of tunneling, slag removal, support, and material transportation.

2. The construction method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The composite slag discharge mode includes: Excavated soil is transferred from the TBM equipment to a continuous conveyor belt; A continuous belt conveyor transports the slag to a slag shuttle car for buffer storage. The slag was transported out of the mine by a shuttle car pulled by an electric locomotive to the mine entrance.

3. The construction method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The modular trailer interface is designed to allow for the quick installation of two or more trailers, with the trailers integrating a continuous belt conveyor system and material transfer components.

4. The construction method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The functional chambers include at least one of the following: slag storage chamber, belt conveyor drive chamber, passing chamber, and power supply chamber.

5. The construction method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process conversion includes: After the TBM tunneling reaches the intersection of the roadway, the passing chamber and the power supply chamber are excavated first; The TBM retreats to the fork for eccentric tunneling, and sequentially completes the excavation of the slag discharge and storage chamber, the slag discharge port of the continuous belt conveyor, the storage bin and the transition section; Install the modular trailer and continuous belt conveyor system, and complete system commissioning.

6. The construction method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pipelines within the chamber are arranged in a layered manner: The high-voltage cable is fixed at a high position along the side wall of the tunnel; The inlet and outlet pipes pass through the bottom of the track and are arranged in layers at the turning points; The ventilation duct is suspended from the top of the tunnel, and the sewage pipe is laid along the slope of the floor.

7. The construction method according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes installing toothed material hoisting beams on the side of the continuous belt conveyor, and matching electric hoists for supporting material transportation.

8. The construction method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The continuous belt conveyor system is arranged in a segmented relay manner, with each segment of the belt conveyor being driven and tensioned independently, and is arranged at the turning points or slope change nodes of the roadway.

9. The construction method according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes integrating a mechanized support operation platform in the trailer area to achieve automatic or semi-automatic operation of arch frame grabbing, positioning and mesh laying.

10. The construction method according to claim 1, characterized in that, It is suitable for underground mine roadways with a cross-sectional diameter of 3-4 meters, a slope greater than 10%, and a turning radius of less than 60 meters.

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