Title: Automation and synchronisation on electro-hydraulic lifting system of tunnel boring machine segment assembly

Authors: Xuyang Chen; Yang Tang; Xin Huang; Wujun Wang; Junke Guo; Fulong Lin; Lianhui Jia; Huayong Yang; Yi Zhu

Addresses: State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power Components and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, 310027 Hangzhou, China ' State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power Components and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, 310027 Hangzhou, China ' State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power Components and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, 310027 Hangzhou, China ' Department of Energy Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 10044, Stockholm, Sweden ' Electrical Research Institute of China Railway, Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd 450047 Zhengzhou, China ' Electrical Research Institute of China Railway, Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd 450047 Zhengzhou, China ' Electrical Research Institute of China Railway, Engineering Equipment Group Co., Ltd 450047 Zhengzhou, China ' State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power Components and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, 310027 Hangzhou, China ' State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power Components and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, 310027 Hangzhou, China; Ningbo Innovation Centre, Zhejiang University, Ningbo 315100, China

Abstract: Segment lifting, performed by an electro-hydraulic system including two cylinders, is a crucial step in segment grasping, transporting, and assembly in tunnel boring machines. Due to heavy and uneven loading, large vibration, uncertainty of parameters, and nonlinear friction, it is difficult to develop an accurate physical model. This paper presents a comprehensive procedure to achieve two-cylinder automation and synchronisation according to the actual engineering requirements and environments. An improved deviation compensation recursive least squares identification algorithm with a forgetting factor was used to identify the key parameters of the model. To achieve synchronous control and precise control of the lifting system, SMC with improved sliding mode approach rate and the deviation coupling method of fusion single neuron PID were designed and verified by simulation. A full-scale bench test was also performed to show that the tracking steady-state error is below 4 mm, and the synchronisation error is below 2 mm.

Keywords: tunnel boring; segment assembly; parameter identification; synchronous control; automation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHM.2025.144951

International Journal of Hydromechatronics, 2025 Vol.8 No.1, pp.94 - 120

Received: 28 Aug 2024
Accepted: 22 Oct 2024
Published online: 13 Mar 2025 *

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