A tunnel boring machine for boring a tunnel in rock including: locating means mounted to a frame for supporting and locating the frame in a disposition with respect to a tunnel axis and a boring face of the tunnel being bored; a first boring assembly operatively associated with said frame for boring into an annular face surrounding a core substantially coaxial with the tunnel axis, the annular face being a portion of the boring face; a core removal assembly operatively associated with said frame and disposed axially with respect to said first boring assembly away from the annular face, said core removal assembly being operable for removing at the core exposed by the first boring assembly transverse to the tunnel axis to expose the remainder of the boring face; and drive means operatively associated with said first boring assembly for driving said boring assembly into the annular face.

A tunnel boring machine for boring a tunnel in rock including: locating means mounted to a frame for supporting and locating the frame in a disposition with respect to a tunnel axis and a boring face of the tunnel being bored; a first boring assembly operatively associated with said frame for boring into an annular face surrounding a core substantially coaxial with the tunnel axis, the annular face being a portion of the boring face; a core removal assembly operatively associated with said frame and disposed axially with respect to said first boring assembly away from the annular face, said core removal assembly being operable for removing at the core exposed by the first boring assembly transverse to the tunnel axis to expose the remainder of the boring face; and drive means operatively associated with said first boring assembly for driving said boring assembly into the annular face.

A rock-piercing flexible rock drilling robot and a rock breaking method therefor are disclosed. The robot includes a control system, a head, and at least one tail. The head includes a head housing, a propulsion turntable, a drilling mechanism, a hydraulic propulsion system, a first driving mechanism, and a second driving mechanism. The propulsion turntable includes a drill bit located at a center thereof and a cutting turntable arranged around the drill bit. The first driving mechanism is connected to the drill bit, and the second driving mechanism is connected to the cutting turntable. The tail includes a tail housing, an advancing and retreating power system, and a fixed support system. The head and the tail are connected through a flexible component, and the tails are connected through flexible components.