White Papers

Use of “Command Chair” Simulator Technology to Optimize Modern TBM Performance

TBM operator cabs and controls are often a long way down the list of priorities when it comes to the overall design of a Tunnel Boring Machine. However, their proper design and inclusion of the latest technology can mean the difference between a successful project and an unsuccessful one.

On soft ground machines the industry often puts operators in control of machines with little or no practical experience of that particular machine or the control systems. This practice can, in some cases, lead to major incidents such as ground heave or sinkholes in densely populated urban zones causing major disruption, downtime and untold damages and cost.

This paper will discuss the advances and developments in TBM operator controls and the use of “command chair” technology as both a training tool in the form of a boring machine simulator and as a way of controlling modern-day TBMs.

 

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