Rock material characterization for tunnelling with Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM)

Client: C.G.G. Testing srl (on behalf of COCIV)
Location: Genoa-Milan Speed Railway line (TAV) – COCIV construction site
Data: 2014

The project was aimed at evaluating the drillability of the rocks which will be involved by the TBM tunnelling of the new Genoa – Milan High Speed Railway line. The activities of SERENGEO consisted in consulting and technical support in performing the drillability tests on irregular and core samples and in interpreting the test results.

Cerchar test

Figure 2. Brittleness test (SINTEF, Draft: DRI, BWI, CLI Standard, 01/2003): retained material

Brittleness test (SINTEF, Draft: DRI, BWI, CLI Standard, 01/2003): retained material

Project goal

Evaluation of the drillability of rock materials involved by the TBM tunnelling of the new Genoa – Milan High Speed Railway line for TBM design optimization and for forecasting the excavation performance.

Innovative aspects

Development of a modified “Punch Penetration test” to evaluate the rock brittleness.

Performed activities

  1. Critical analysis of the technical specifications provided by the Client on the drillability tests on rock samples to be carried out at LAGIRN;
  2. Definition of the testing procedures according to the technical recommendations and the reference standards, if available;
  3. Test design when technical recommendations and reference standards are not available (Punch Penetration test);
  4. Supervision of the laboratory tests at LAGIRN;
  5. Interpretation of the experimentation results.

Modified “Punch Penetration test”