Underground　research　laboratory　(URL)　plays　an　important　role　in　safe　disposal　of　high-level　radioactive　waste　(HLW).　At　present,　the　Xinchang　site,　located　in　Gansu　Province　of　China,　has　been　selected　as　the　final　site　for　China＇s　first　URL,　named　Beishan　URL.　For　this,　a　preliminary　design　of　the　Beishan　URL　has　been　proposed,　including　one　spiral　ramp,　three　shafts　and　two　experimental　levels.　With　advantages　of　fast　advancing　and　limited　disturbance　to　surrounding　rock　mass,　the　tunnel　boring　machine　(TBM)　method　could　be　one　of　the　excavation　methods　considered　for　the　URL　ramp.　This　paper　introduces　the　feasibility　study　on　using　TBM　to　excavation　of　the　Beishan　URL　ramp.　The　technical　challenges　for　using　TBM　in　Beishan　URL　are　identified　on　the　base　of　geological　condition　and　specific　layout　of　the　spiral　ramp.　Then,　the　technical　feasibility　study　on　the　specific　issues,　i.e.　extremely　hard　rock　mass,　high　abrasiveness,　TBM　operation,　muck　transportation,　water　drainage　and　material　transportation,　is　investigated.　This　study　demonstrates　that　TBM　technology　is　a　feasible　method　for　the　Beishan　URL　excavation.　The　results　can　also　provide　a　reference　for　the　design　and　construction　of　HLW　disposal　engineering　in　similar　geological　conditions.　(C)　2020　Institute　of　Rock　and　Soil　Mechanics,　Chinese　Academy　of　Sciences.　Production　and　hosting　by　Elsevier　B.V.　This　is　an　open　access　article　under　the　CC　BY-NC-ND　license　(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).　(C)　2020　Institute　of　Rock　and　Soil　Mechanics,　Chinese　Academy　of　Sciences.　Production　and　hosting　by　Elsevier　B.V.