During　the　shield　TBM　tunnelling,　the　working　status　of　the　cutterhead　is　difficult　to　be　determined　because　the　pressured　chamber　is　located　behind　the　cutterhead.　In　this　paper,　a　cutterhead　working　status　monitoring　system　for　shield　TBM　tunnelling　was　developed　to　monitor　the　working　status　of　the　cutterhead　in　real　time.　The　system　consists　of　data　acquisition　subsystem,　control　and　data　transmission　subsystem,　as　well　as　data　processing　and　display　subsystem.　The　cutter　wear,　cutter　rotation　speed　and　cutterhead　temperature　can　be　monitored　and　transmitted　to　the　system　software　through　the　central　port　by　cable　and　wireless.　The　system　software　can　simultaneously　display　the　TBM　operating　parameters　and　cutterhead　working　status　parameters,　predict　the　cutter　life　and　present　early　warning　of　abnormal　working　status.　The　system　has　been　successfully　applied　in　a　shield　tunnelling　project.　Based　on　the　analysis　of　the　monitoring　data,　it　was　found　that　the　normal　cutter　wear　mainly　depended　on　the　rock　abrasiveness　and　cutter　rotation　distance.　The　difference　in　cutter　wear　rate　in　the　different　ground　was　more　than　3　times.　The　relative　sliding　between　the　cutter　and　the　tunnel　face　was　widespread.　The　sliding　distance　in　low-abrasive　formations　exceeded　1/3　of　the　cutter　track　length.　Under　the　normal　tunneling　conditions,　the　cutterhead　temperature　was　lower　than　50　degrees.　The　successful　application　shows　that　this　system　can　work　stably　in　long　term　under　harsh　work　environment　and　provide　guidance　for　shield　TBM　tunnelling.