CUTTING FACE ROCK CONDITION JUDGING METHOD AND EQUIPMENT

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cutting face rock condition judging method and a cutting face rock condition judging equipment capable of selecting adequate supporting and of accurately and quantitatively judging the condition of the cutting face rock before the surface of excavated wall is exposed to rear of a tunnel excavator. SOLUTION: An average musk height Zh equivalent to the size of an excavated rock piece when rock is excavated by a tunnel excavator is determined. Then, unit excavation energy Je required for excavating the rock by the tunnel excavator is determined. Then, the condition of the cutting face rock is judged. Based on the results of judgment, a specific supporting adequate for installing to an excavated wall surface is selected from a plurality of the kinds of supporting.