Abstract: The layout design of cutters on cutter head of a full-face rock tunnel boring machine (TBM) is a key problem for the design of rock TBM. The principle of equilibrium of spatial forces should be satisfied for the cutter head under the action of forces, thus developing a nonlinear multiobjective layout model of cutters. Then, a co-evolutionary algorithm is proposed to optimize the layout of cutters. Exemplifying the TBM used in the water tunnel project for Taohe River, its layout of cutters was compared with that based on the model developed and the algorithm proposed for verification. The results showed that under the conditions that the rock boundaries are variable the model and algorithm as above are both feasible and effective, by which the layout of cutters is available to get smaller upsetting moment and unbalanced forces.