Tunnel Boring Machine: Working of the Tunnel .
A tunnel boring machine (TBM), also known as mole, is employed for the construction of tunnels in hard or soft rock strata. The cutting process utilizes the rotation of the cutterhead (geared with disc cutters) and the blade pressure for excavation on the face of rock. Mostly, gripper and shield TBMs are ideal for tunneling in difficult rock conditions with medium to high standup time.