Abstract: The conventional track-bound transportation system used in long-distance TBM tunneling has problems such as poor communication, poor dispatching and management, poor resource supply, and high safety risks.   Intelligent track-bound transportation system for long-distance TBM tunneling is developed on basis of the technologies for the environment perception and positioning, the technologies for high-speed wireless mesh network establishing and data transmission in long tunnels, and technologies for UWB-base-station-based two-dimensional high-precision positioning in tunnels. Conclusions drawn are as follows: (1) With UWB and WiFi wireless base stations, a gigabit industrial ring network and a high-speed wireless signal coverage with at least 500 m coverage radius are achieved in the tunnel; (2) The positioning sub-system achieves real-time UWB-based precise positioning of the transporting trains, the equipment and the persons in the tunnel, with a static positioning accuracy of less than 0.3 m; (3) The 3D high-precision LiDAR obstacle recognition sub-system is able to identify and provide warning of the obstacles ahead of the transporting trains, with a recognition range of 200 m and a recognition accuracy of 2 cm; (4) One shunting operator is saved for each transporting train, the comprehensive transportation efficiency in TBM tunneling is increased by more than 20%, and the monthly transportation cost is reduced by about CNY 600 000; (5) With IoT technology, the intelligent track-bound transportation system achieves real-time positioning of the persons and the equipment, live transmission of the audio and video information, automatic control of the switches/turnout, automatic avoidance of the obstacles, intelligent planning of the transportation and collaboration of dispatching and commanding, which enables that the information on the formation and operation of the transporting trains is available to all persons related, avoids transportation accidents, and significantly improves the transportation efficiency.

Key words: TBM tunneling, track-bound transportation system, transporting train, signal transmission, environment perception, obstacle recognition, intelligent dispatching and management