That's because it's really *small*
Posted on 01/02/2014 6:59:23 PM PST by Windflier
A half-dozen probes have not hit any huge object in front of Bertha, adding to the mystery of what’s blocking the stalled Highway 99 tunnel machine.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.com ...
There ya go. Time for a bigger hammer.
that’s the one!
... too many tear drops to be cryin'
Broken bolts or keys on the cutter faceplate...Motor/shaft turns but the cutters, not so much...
Doesn’t something that big/expensive/complex have appropriate analytical sensors?
“An extraterrestrial monolith.”
Could be. Or maybe an alien Tommyknocker spaceship.
>> Lots Of Poking But No Answers
From the headline I figured this would be a Billy Jeff Clintoon, Monica Lewinsky, “depends on the meaning of is”, cigar chewing thread.
But, no.
not ones that can withstand being ground against stone.
Diamond grinding compound?
I don't know that it would right on the cutting head, right there at the work...But of course it may...It certainly would have sensors measuring the load on the motor...Never seen one up close but no doubt a very complex piece of machinery...
It's probably in pretty deep and they don't want to or can't back it up very easily to have a look see...
I work on machinery (recently retired) and am always excited to see how machinery works...
Likely diamond embedded teeth...But then that's probably old technology now...
Waterproof dirt.
It does more than just dig the tunnel, it builds the tunnel as it goes, putting up panels every 6 feet or something. Not a design flaw - but yes, a very risky thing.
Several years ago just north of Seattle (but same geology) they built the Brightwater Sewer tunnel. One of the machines got stuck. They brought in another one, which was in the area working on another tunnel, to dig from the opposite direction. The one that got stuck had to be dismantled in the hole and taken out piece by piece.
With the current project, no spare 56-foot diameter TBM’s around though.
Me too, in general. I've always taken stuff apart to understand it (starting as a kid), had jobs to do same and still do my own failure analysis on stuff around the compound that breaks.
Sometimes just a laying on of the hands fixes things. ;-)
Thirty-plus years ago a guy developed an electrical sensor that could measure the differences in soil types and used parts on the TBM bit. Basically a fancy resistance meter. It could tell if they were in soft or hard soils, and even where a boulder’s general location was on the bit. It would also be a very good method to see if they were grinding against metal I would imagine.
I would be surprised if they didn’t have something like that. But I haven’t heard anything like that in the news.
That's because it's really *small*
What movie? Looks familiar, but I can’t remember it.
?
Earth vs. The Flying Saucers is well-paced if utterly derivative, and follows newlyweds Dr. Russell Marvin (Hugh Marlowe, the Judas of The Day the Earth Stood Still) and secretary Carol (Joan Taylor, 20 Million Miles to Earth). Both are employed in the Air Force’s top-secret Operation Sky-hook satellite program, which has encountered an odd problem. None of the satellites are staying in orbit as they should, all having mysteriously crashed back to Earth shortly after their launch. A few strange encounters and a full-on ray gun attack later, the culprits in the odd disappearances are revealed: a civilization from a dead solar system has set its sights on the planet Earth, which they hope to conquer through the shear obviousness of their technological superiority alone. Dr. Marvin and his fellow Earthlings are understandably displeased with the invader’s imperialist intentions, and rush to perfect a new anti-saucer weapon before time runs out.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.