Predictive Reliability Assessment of Loading and Transport Modules of Tunneling Equipment during Construction of Road Tunnels

Designs of loading and transport modules applied for the construction of road tunnels are considered. The distinctive feature of modules from conventional designs is the use of wedge working elements in combination with power hydraulic cylinders as a drive. Basing on health monitoring of the tunneling equipment expected values of loading modules reliability indicators are defined. The forecast is carried out based on the known regularities of change in the reliability of analogs and prototypes of the investigated modules and their elements. The units and parts of modules limiting reliability are used for the assessment of reliability. The decision on the efficiency of application and feasibility of the studied designs of loading and transport modules is made on the basis of simulation of their operation and is determined by the magnitude of operational costs with the account of stochastic nature of the flow of module elements failures. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.