As an advanced tunnel excavation technology, the cutterhead TBM has a series of significant advantages, but it also has some limitations and disadvantages. The following are the main advantages and disadvantages of the cutterhead TBM:

  I. The cutterhead TBM has the following advantages:

   1. High excavation efficiency: it can achieve continuous operation and greatly improve the construction progress.

   2. Good construction quality: it can accurately control the excavation direction and cross-sectional shape to ensure the forming quality of the tunnel.

   3. Small impact on the surrounding environment: vibration and noise are relatively low, reducing the impact on ground buildings and underground pipelines.

   4. High safety: operators operate in a relatively safe environment, reducing construction risks.

   5. High degree of automation: it can reduce the intensity of manual labor and improve the level of intelligent construction.

    II. But at the same time, the cutterhead TBM also has some disadvantages:

   1. High equipment cost: expensive to purchase and maintain.

   2. Limited adaptability: For complex and changeable geological conditions, such as uneven soft and hard strata, the adaptability is poor.

   3. Difficult transportation and assembly: The equipment is large in size and weight, and transportation and on-site assembly are relatively complicated.

   4. Insufficient flexibility: Once encountering special circumstances, it is relatively difficult to adjust the construction plan.

   5. Frequent tool replacement: In hard rock strata, the tool wears quickly and needs to be replaced frequently, affecting the construction progress.

   Cutterhead TBMs are an efficient, safe and environmentally friendly choice in modern tunnel construction, but their high investment costs and maintenance requirements, as well as their dependence on geological conditions, need to be fully considered in project planning and decision-making.