Reinforcement learning for the face support pressure of tunnel boring machines

Abstract

In tunnel excavation with boring machines, the tunnel face is supported to avoid collapse and minimise settlement. This article proposes the use of reinforcement learning, specifically the Deep Q-Network algorithm, to predict the face support pressure. The approach is tested both analytically and numerically. By using the soil properties ahead of the tunnel face and the overburden depth as the input, the algorithm is capable of predicting the optimal tunnel face support pressure, adapting to changes in geological and geometrical conditions.