Techno Press
Techno Press

Geomechanics and Engineering
  Volume 45, Number 1, April10 2026 , pages 1-27
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12989/gae.2026.45.1.001
 


An experimental investigation on the effect of cutting speed on the cuttability behavior and product characteristic by a conical pick
Ji-seok Yun, Han-eol Kim

 
Abstract
    This study conducted a series of rock linear cutting tests on Finike limestone using a conical pick, followed by sieving tests on the resulting rock fragments, to investigate the effect of cutting speed on cuttability and product characteristics. As the cutting speed increased, both tool forces and specific energy (SE) increased. However, as the cutting depth increased, the effect of cutting speed on cuttability lessened. For tool forces, the cutting force (FC) increased more significantly than the normal force (FN), and the mean tool force increased more than the peak tool force. The increase in SE was attributed to the additional work (W) required during the rock cutting process, as cutting volume is not affected by cutting speed. The increase in cutting speed resulted in the product becoming smaller and finer. Specifically, the size of the rock chips decreased as the cutting speed increased, which was consistent with predictions based on the changes in the peak-to-mean tool force ratio and the optimal ratio of line spacing to cutting depth (s/p) as the cutting speed increased. Furthermore, as the cutting speed increased, the proportion of powder in the product increased, while the proportion of rock chips decreased. The findings of this study provide a better understanding of the effect of cutting speed on the performance of mechanical excavators.
 
Key Words
    conical pick; cutting speed; rock chips; rock cutting; specific energy; tool forces
 
Address
Ji-seok Yun: Department of Geotechnical Engineering Research, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building
Technology, 283 Goyangdae-ro, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si, 10223, South Korea
Han-eol Kim:Department of Geotechnical Engineering Research, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building
Technology, 283 Goyangdae-ro, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si, 10223, South Korea;
Underground Safety Evaluation Center, Korea Expressway Corporation Research Institute,
24, Dongtansunhwan-daero 17-gil, Hwaseong-si, 18489, South Korea
 

Techno-Press: Publishers of international journals and conference proceedings.       Copyright © 2026 Techno Press
P.O. Box 33, Yuseong, Daejeon 305-600 Korea, Tel: +82-42-828-7996, Fax : +82-42-828-7997, Email: admin@techno-press.com