Relationship of Geosciences and Mechanical Engineering in Increasing the Productivity of Tunnel Boring Machines

In the academic and industrial environments of Iran, there is little understanding of the relationship between geological science and technical branches of mechanics and electronics. Such concepts are not explained in Iran's higher education curriculum, and almost no source of research has been published in Persian. The history of collaborative studies between mechanical engineers and geoscientists can be considered at the onset of the topics of the Terramechanics. In this research, by studying the excavation conditions in Bazideraz tunnel, the necessity of initiation of interdisciplinary studies of geology graduates with the mechanical engineers in higher education and industries of the country is discussed. In this paper, with the analysis of the operational parameters of the TBM and the study of geological conditions, discusses how to change the structure of the TBM. The results show that in this project, in order to adapt the structure of the machine to the geological conditions of the route, a series of structural reforms including the removal of 26 thrust jacks, the installation of 9 probe drilling holes in the shield, the removal of all passive articulation cylinders (16 jacks), a change in the arrangement of the disc cutters, and the construction of 7 gearbox converters to increase the rotary speed of the cutterhead, inevitable.