JOURNAL OF ROCK MECHANICS

JOURNAL OF ROCK MECHANICS

Numerical Modeling of Evaluation The Stability of The Rock Pillar of The Nakhlak Underground Lead Excavation Network By Sublevel Stoping Method

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Department of Mining Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
2 Associate Professor of Rock Mechanics, Department of Mining Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Today, due to the development of underground excavations, access to mineral resources is very common through tunnel excavation. In this regard, Due to the wide variety of underground mining methods, it is necessary to choose the suitable drilling method for the mining conditions and in order to achieve higher efficiency by reducing the cost. Designing the choice of mining method requires a systematic method based on the slope, size and shape of the mineral material. Sublevel Stoping Method from subgrades has a special place among underground methods from the economic point of view, conditions of use and production capacity. In this method, the mineral material is divided into separate layers, and in the surrounding of the mining Stope, the layers of the mineral material are considered as a Pillar to maintain the roof, walls and Footwall. In this research, In this research, the stability of the middle Rock Pillar of the two northern and southern Stope with the excavation of the southern Stoping up to level914 (-125 meters) of the new underground lead mine of Nakhlak in zone 35 and 36 has been investigated using FLAC3D finite difference numerical modeling. The Sublevel Stoping method is as drilling method and Mohr-Columb continuous behavioral model. In order to evaluate the numerical results and the stability of the Rock Pillar, Sakurai's criterion was used. According to the results, the maximum amount of total displacement caused by the excavation of the southern Stoping is equal to11.47 cm. The degree of displacement of the Z and Y axes is 5.36 and 9.59 cm, respectively, and the maximum induced stress is 19MPa. From the results, it can be seen that the amount of induced stresses around the access tunnels, Rock Pillar and the southern Stoping did not exceed the Strength of the rock mass, so failure did not occur. Also, the maximum amount of displacement obtained from the excavation of the southern Stoping is between the maximum and minimum limits of the Sakurai standard, and it is possible to understand the necessary stability of the 12meter wide Rock Pillar after the excavation of the southern Stoping.
Keywords
Subjects

  1. Copland, T., and Nehring, “Integrated optimization of stope boundary selection and scheduling for sublevel stoping operations”, Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Vol. 116, 1135-1142, 2016.
  2. Rehman, H., Shah, A., Hashim, M. H. B. M., Khan, N. M., Ali, W., Shah, K. S., Junaid, M., Ullah, R., & Adeel, M. B. “Investigating Effect of Tunnel Size, Rock Mass Conditions, and In-Situ Stresses on Stability of Tunnels”. Journal of Mining and Environment, 13(4), 973–987. https://doi.org/10.22044/jme.2022.12294.2231, 2022.
  3. Brady, B. H. G. and Brown, E. T. “Rock Mechanics for Underground Mining”, 3rd edn., 628pp. Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Kluwer.2004.
  4. Hamrin, H. “Choosing an underground mining method”. In W. A. Hustrulid (ed.), Underground Mining Methods Handbook, pp. 88–112. New York: SME-AIME.1982.
  5. چهره‌پاک، محمدمهدی؛ "تحلیل پایداری سیستم نگهداری تونل امیرکبیرتهران به روش جدیدتونل‌سازی اتریشی"، هشتمین کنفرانس مکانیک‌سنگ ایران، دانشگاه صنعتی شاهرود، تهران، اردیبهشت 1401.
  6. Stille, H., & Palmstrom, A. “Ground behaviour and rock mass composition in underground excavations”, Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 23(1), 46-64, 2008.
  7. Hoek, E.Cavern Reinforcement and Lining Design. prepared for RocNews, 2011.
  8. Barton, N., Lien, R., and Lunde, J. “ Engineering classification of rock masses for the design of tunnel support”. Rock mechanics, 6 (4): 189-236. doi:10.1007/bf01239496, 1974.
  9. Barton, N. “Some new Q-value correlations to assist in site characterisation and tunnel design”. International journal of rock mechanics and mining sciences, 39 (2): 185-216, 2002.
  10. Ali, W., Rehman, H., Abdullah, R., Xie, Q., and Ban, “Topography induced stress and its influence on tunnel excavation in hard rocks–a numerical approach”. GEOMATE Journal, 22 (94): 93-101, 2022.
  11. یاراحمدی بافقی، علی رضا؛ بهشتی بافقی، سیدهادی؛ "روش نوین استخراج از طبقات فرعی برای لایه‌های با شیب کمتر از 30 درجه"، اولین کنفرانس فناوری‌های معدنکاری ایران، یزد، 1391.
  12. دستورالعمل روش استخراج از طبقات فرعی، سازمان مدیریت و برنامه‌ریزی کشور، نشریه شماره 807، شورای عالی برنامه تهیه ضوابط و معیارهای معدن، 1399.
  13. Wu, J. “Research on sublevel open stoping recovery processes of inclined medium-thick orebody on the basis of physical simulation experiments”.PLoS ONE, 15(5), pp. 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0232640, 2020.
  14. Xu, S. et al. “Evaluation of the use of sublevel open stoping in the mining of moderately dipping medium-thick orebodies”.International Journal of Mining Science and Technology,31(2), pp. 333–346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmst.2020.12.002
  15. Li, X. et al. “Numerical Simulation of Surface Subsidence and Backfill Material Movement Induced by Underground Mining”.Advances in Civil Engineering, doi.org/10.1155/2019/2724370, 2019.
  16. Blachowski, J. and Ellefmo, S. “Numerical modelling of rock mass deformation in sublevel caving mining system”, Acta Geodynamica et Geomaterialia, 9(3), pp. 379–388, 2012.
  17. R. Hudyma, P. Frenette, and I. Leslie, “Monitoring open stope caving at Goldex Mine”. Trans. Institutions Min. Metall. Sect. A Min. Technol., vol. 119, no. 3, pp. 142–150, 2010, doi: 10.1179/174328610X12820409992291.
  18. C. Jhanwar and A. K. Chakeaborty, “Stability Monitoring of a Sub-Level Open Stope Through Rock Mechanics Instrumentation And Acoustic Emission Measurements In a Manganese Mine In India ”.ISRM International Symposium on Rock Mechanics - SINOROCK 2009. p. ISRM-SINOROCK-2009-151, May 19, 2009.
  19. Reddy, J. N. “An introduction to the finite element method”: McGraw-Hill New York, 2006.
  20. Potvin, M. Hudyma, and H. D. S. Miller, “Rib pillar design in open stope mining,” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. Geomech. Abstr., vol. 27, no. 1, p. 57, doi: 10.1016/0148-9062(90)90467-g, 1990.
  21. Sjiberg, “Design Methods for Stopes and Sill Pillars with Application to the Zinkgruvan Mine, Central Sweden,” vol. 26, pp. 253–275, 1993
  22. Cardu, S. Dipietromaria, and P. Oreste, “sub-level stoping in an underground limestone quarry: an analysis of the state of stress in an evolutionary scenario” vol. 61, no. 1, pp. 199–216, 2016, doi: 10.1515/amsc-2016-0015.
  23. Islavath, S. “Stability analysis of underground stope pillars using three-dimensional numerical modelling techniques Sreenivasa Rao Islavath * Debasis Deb,” vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 198–215, 2018.
  24. A. Mendonça, D. Em, and M. Subterrâneas, “influence of induced stresses by sublevel stopes in stability conditions of development openings in underground mines,” pp. 159–166, 2018.
  25. A. V. L. Díaz, “A New Criterion for Numerical Modelling of Hangingwall Overbreak in Open Stopes,” Rock Mech. Rock Eng., no. 0123456789, 2020, doi: 10.1007/s00603-020-02179-z.
  26. Hosseini, “Safety analysis of Sormeh underground mine to improve sublevel stoping stability,” no. February, pp. 173–187, 2023, doi: 10.1002/dug2.12041.
  27. عطایی، محمد؛ معدنکاری زیرزمینی (جلد1)، دانشگاه صنعتی شاهرود، ایران، 1384
  28. Villaescusa, E. “Geotechnical Design for Sublevel Open Stoping”.CRC Press, https://doi.org/10.1201/b16702, 2014.
  29. Villaescusa, “A review of sublevel stoping”, in G. Chitombo, ed., Proceedings of the MassMin 2000, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, pp. 577–590, AusIMM, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. With permission, 2000.
  30. Lcwis R.S. Clark G.B. “Elements of Mining, Third edition”. New York:Wiley,
  31. طرح ادامه بهره‌برداری و گزارشات موجود در معدن سرب نخلک، معدن سرب نخلک، 1377.
  32. چهره‌پاک، محمدمهدی؛ ارزیابی پایداری شبکه حفریات زیرزمینی معدن سرب نخلک به روش مدل‌سازی عددی سه‌بعدی، پایان نامه کارشناسی ارشد، دانشکده مهندسی معدن، دانشگاه صنعتی امیرکبیر، دی 1402.
  33. Harrison, John P; Hudson, John A; Engineering rock mechanics; 1997.
  34. Sakurai, S.“The assessment of tunnel stability on the basis of field measurements”. Associazone Geotecnica Italiana - XVIII Convegno Nazionale di Geotecnica- Rimini, 21-30, 1993
  35. Sakurai, S., Farazmand, A. & Adachi, K. “Assessment of the stability of slopes from surface displacements measured by GPS in an open pit mine”.In G. Deak & Z. Agioutantis (Eds). Sustainable Exploitation of Natural Resources Proc. 3rd International Seminar ECOMINING-Europe 21st Century, 4–5 September, Milos Island, Greece, 239–248, 2009.
  36. Sakurai, S., Kawashima, I. & Otani, T. “A criterion for assessing the stability of tunnels”. Proc. ISRM International Symposium, EUROCK’93, 21–24 June, Lisboa, Portugal, 969–973, 1993a.
  37. Li, J. Zhou, D. J. Armaghani, and X. Li, “combination of finite difference methods, neural networks, and Monte Carlo simulation techniques Abstract:” Undergr. Sp., 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.undsp.2020.05.005.