Conventional EPB shields have such disadvantages as low cutting efficiency, unbalanced wearing, serious cutterhead rotation inertness and being difficult in excavation of noncircular tunnels. Therefore, a new type of noncutterhead EPB shield is designed. The new type of EPB shield mentioned has such advantages as high cutting efficiency, balanced cutting tool service life, being free of rotation correction and being highly adaptable to different tunnel crosssections. In the paper, the conceptual design of the EPB shield is presented.