Two　headrace　tunnels　and　the　drainage　tunnel　were　excavated　by　tunnel　boring　machines　(TBMs)　in　Jinping　II　Hydropower　Station.　During　TBM　excavation,　two　types　of　slabbing　failure　were　encountered　in　these　deep　buried　marble　tunnels.　One　is　rock　bursting　and　the　other　is　non-violent　slabbing.　In　order　to　study　the　rock　burst　and　slabbing　failure,　a　unique　true　triaxial　rock　burst　test　was　carried　out　to　simulate　the　rock　burst　process　with　different　in　situ　stresses.　Four　rock　samples　in　different　marble　layers　were　obtained　in　the　site,　and　then　four　experiments　are　conducted　under　the　same　stressed　conditions　as　the　in　situ　field.　The　rock　burst　process　and　slabbing　failure　phenomena　of　the　four　experiments　are　in　good　accordance　with　the　observations　of　corresponding　excavation　site.　The　failure　modes　of　slabbing　and　rock　burst　in　different　rock　groups　can　be　predicted　based　on　the　experiments.　The　influence　of　the　slabbing　and　rock　burst　failure　on　TBM　excavation　is　analyzed　in　depth.　Non-violent　slabbing　is　beneficial　to　the　rock　breakage　process.　Rock　burst　with　violent　slabbing　process　greatly　affects　the　tunnel　support,　cutter　and　cutterhead　damage,　gripper　movement　and　force　and　so　on.　©　2011　Elsevier　B.V.