Use of the D3 Model for the estimation of forces acting on a cutter in rock cutting and drilling

This paper reports applications of the D3 single cutter model developed by Dagrain (2001) at University of Minnesota (UMN), based on the original phenomenological cutting model developed by Detournay and Defourny in 1992. This paper comes to present the continuity at the FPMs, of the researches performed at UMN. In the present paper, the D3 model has been used to model two different field cases studied in the past at the FPMs, in order to confirm the validity of the D3 model for simulating rock cutting with multi-cutters tools. The model has also been applied to estimate the best parameters to use to optimize the cutting efficiency for both particular field cases. Finally some basic rules are given to design tools (drill bits or cutting chain) to minimize the specific energy and to maximize the rate of penetration. The model can also be used to estimate the power needed in rock cutting and drilling.