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Guangzhou North River Water Diversion Project | HD418

Rock strength UCS 110–160 MPa

Disc cutter wear resistance improved by 30%+

No abnormal wear or cutter failure

Meets stringent TBM construction requirements

Category:

Shield / TBM Disc Cutter Application Cases

High-Wear TBM Disc Cutter Solution for Hard Rock (UCS 110–160 MPa)

Geological Conditions

The tunnel passes mainly through slightly weathered granite and gneiss. In some sections, maximum UCS reaches 235 MPa. The average rock UCS during excavation is 110–160 MPa, with granite quartz content of 40–45%, resulting in extremely high abrasiveness.

Such conditions impose very high requirements on wear resistance, compressive strength, and impact resistance of cutter rings.

Key Challenges

High abrasiveness + high UCS → conventional cutter rings prone to chipping, spalling, and oil leakage
Large fluctuations in cutter life disrupt TBM advance rhythm
Standard market materials cannot support long-distance hard-rock tunneling

Xinda Solution

The project adopted Xinda HD418A TBM disc cutter material:

Enhanced H13-based steel with added carbon and multiple micro-alloying elements
Significantly improved toughness and wear resistance
Stable cutter ring hardness: HRC 61–63
Service life improved by 30%+ compared with conventional materials
Equipped with 19-inch hard-rock disc cutters, applied on TBM model 4280B

Performance Results

Stable tunneling achieved: 384 m
No eccentric wear, oil leakage, or cutter failure
Uniform cutter wear, suitable for long-distance hard-rock tunneling
Highly recognized by the project team and approved as a long-term cutter solution