Tunnelling shield
device · 1825 · Industrial Revolution
Brunel’s shield for driving tunnels.
What it is made of
- Cutting edge ring — has part. The cutting edge of the shield.
- Steel shield shell — has part. A steel cylinder that holds back the ground.
- Hydraulic cylinder — has part. Jacks push the shield forward.
- Tunnel lining segments — has part. Lining segments installed behind the shield.
Principles and materials it uses
- Hydraulic cylinder — uses. The shield was pushed forward by jacks.
- Cast iron — is made of. Brunel’s shield is a cast-iron frame.
Where it is used
History: what it evolved from and what it influenced
- Tunnel boring machine — evolved into. A development of the tunnelling shield.
Things built in a similar way
- Dynamite — works like. Two ways of driving tunnels — mechanical and explosive.