Numerical Investigation of Rock Cutting Modes with Conical Picks under Different Confining Pressures and Cutting Spaces

This paper focuses on the mechanism of rock cutting with conical picks under different confining pressures. First, the 2-dimensional numerical model of rock cutting with two conical picks is established by particle flow code software. Then, the basic contents of cutting modes, cutting efficiency, optimal cutting space, rock fragmental size and crack growth ability are studied. Finally, the cutting modes are verified by cutting experiments. According to the results, the confining pressure directly affects the crack growth ability, it presents four basic cutting modes for different crack growth abilities, mode a, mode b, mode c and mode d, respectively. And they influence the cutting efficiency, optimal cutting space, cutting force and crack growth ability. At no confining pressure, the optimal cutting space is 70 mm, the optimal cutting space is 90 mm under 5 MPa and 10 MPa conditions. The research can provide some reference and guidance for continuous miner construction in different confining pressure environments.