Tunnel　boring　machines　(TBM)　are　efficient　tunnel　excavation　equipment,　and　the　number　of　TBM　in　many　countries　is　increasing　rapidly.　TBM　works　in　a　harsh　geological　environment　and　long-term　vibration　will　cause　tremendous　damages,　including　loosening　the　pipeline　and　damaging　the　mechanical　system　on　the　main　frame　of　TBM.　In　this　paper,　a　variable　stiffness　magnetorheological　elastomer　(MRE)　isolator　is　installed　under　the　main　frame　in　order　to　control　its　resonance　frequency　to　avoid　the　vibration　resonance　to　reduce　the　high-level　vibration　of　TBM,　this　is　called　non-resonance　control　approach.　A　multi-degree-of-freedom　dynamics　model　of　the　TBM　is　established　as　the　first　step.　The　performance　of　the　MRE　isolator　on　vibration　control　of　TBM　is　numerically　evaluated.　Then　a　scaled　TBM　is　built　for　experimental　evaluation　and　a　laminated　MRE　isolator　is　designed,　prototyped　according　to　the　requirement　of　the　scaled　TBM;　its　properties　are　tested　by　a　shaking　table,　including　its　current-dependency,　frequency-dependency,　and　amplitude-dependency　features.　In　the　end,　the　MRE　is　installed　on　the　scaled　TBM　platform　to　evaluate　its　vibration　reduction　effectiveness.　The　experimental　test　results　demonstrate　that　the　displacement　amplitude　of　the　TBM　vibration　could　be　reduced　by　up　to　20.18%　and　14.52%　under　harmonic　sweep　excitation　and　nonsynchronous　excitation,　respectively.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd