Ground support systems optimisation – Phase 2: Extension to M431

The Challenge

Ground support is one of the major costs in mining and it is of critical importance to mitigate the risk of rockfalls and maintain the safety of mine workers. As underground mines operate at greater depth, the ground support system design becomes more challenging.

Key Findings

This project offers several new guidelines and a suite of tools to improve ground support design in very challenging ground conditions, such as squeezing ground and rockburst/strainburst prone environments.

In more common ground conditions, a new understanding of shotcrete support mechanisms can now be applied in the mining environment.

The project has also developed innovative software for the probabilistic design of ground support systems, which is key to optimising support systems to reduce costs and improve safety.

Proposed Benefits to WA

Western Australia operates underground mines which are amongst the deepest and highest stress environments in the world. Providing these critical ground support design tools to the industry will enable reduction in ground support costs while improving safety and ensuring the competitiveness of current and future Western Australian mines at depth.

This project is an extension to M0431.

Keywords: Ground support, rockburst, strainburst, squeezing ground, numerical modelling