The development of a ground support design strategy for deep mines subjected to dynamic-loading conditions

Abstract

In underground mines, a ground support system is required to maintain the integrity of an excavation over its service life. The design of support systems typically accounts for the anticipated static loads and is, to some extent, supported by quantitative engineering guidelines. In deep and high stress mines, dynamic loads associated with mining-induced seismicity represent an important component of the demand imposed on the support. Quantifying dynamic loads that apply on, and between, reinforcement and surface support elements is an important challenge. In this respect, the design of ground support systems for dynamicloading conditions has relied importantly on qualitative assessments of support performance. This paper presents a ground support design strategy, supported by high-quality field data, for deep and high stress mines subjected to dynamic-loading conditions. The strategy has been developed and validated using rockburst data from three seismically active mines located in the Sudbury region, Canada, and cumulating 32 years of mining.