MINE ENGINEERING ROCK

MECHANICS
(…a personal view…)

W.G. Pariseau

Professor of Mining Engineering

Department of Mining Engineering
University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

ARMA WORKSHOP
June 26, 2010
Park City, Utah
 PAST ACHIEVEMENTS
(that I have seen since 1960’s)
Where we are and how we got here…

Morning Panel Presentation

ARMA WORKSHOP
June 26, 2010
Park City, Utah
 PAST PRACTICAL ACHIEVEMENTS:
(laboratory testing, mine measurements,
analysis, comparisons, demonstration…)

1. MINE FILL
2. IN SITU STRESS MEASUREMENT
3. STRESS ANALYSIS FOR DESIGN
4. ROCK SLOPE STABILITY
5. CABLE BOLTING AND VCR MINING
6. DRIFT AND FILLCRETE MINING
7. NUMERICAL METHODS FOR DESIGN
 Mine Fill Research: lab testing
+mine measurements+ FE modeling
SRC, USBM,Coeur d’Alene Mining District
 Doorstoppers
(4-gauge)

Stress Measurement In Situ

USBM BDG’s
Overcoring at the Kelly Block Cave Mine, 4-prong, 1-prong
Anaconda Co., Butte, MT

HI Cells
 Stress Analysis for Design
(the early years, for example)

• La Mecanique des Roches, J. Talobre, 1957

• Rock Mechanics and the Design of

Structures in Rock, L. Obert and W. I. Duvall (1967).

• Elasticity, Fracture and Flow, J. C. Jaeger, 1969

• Rock Mechanics Principles, D.F. Coates (1970).

Mainly, stress concentration about
holes of simple shape, using
results from elasticity theory, e.g.,
the problem of a circular hole in
plane strain or plane stress (Kirsch
equations), other shapes using
complex variable theory – applied
mathematics, pre-computer era.
 Rock Slope Stability – Economics!
Rock Slope Engineering, E. Hoek and J. Bray, 1974
(wedge failures, joints, toppling, slip circles, drainage, blasting)
 Rock Slope Stability – Economics!
Guidelines for Open Pit Slope Design,
J. Read and P. Stacey (eds) 2009. (wedge failures, joints,
toppling, slip circles, drainage, blasting, risk analysis)
Rock Slope Stability…2009
Blasting
Drainage
CABLE BOLTING & VCR MINING
INSTRUMENTATION and MINE
MEASUREMENTS of
DISPLACEMENTS

R=0.84
 DRIFT& FILLCRETE MINING
Turquoise Ridge, Nevada, 2002
back fillcrete is holding nicely

75 ft span

instrumentation first and second pillar blasts

Numerical Methods for Design, i.e., FEM
• Berkeley Pit, 1969
Numerical Methods for Design, i.e., FEM
Galena Mine, 1972
 Numerical Methods…
• Continuum codes: FEM, BEM, FDM,

• Rock Block codes: DEM, NMM, DDA

(physical laws, kinematics, material laws)
- equilibrium (static, dynamic) equations
- strain displacement equations
- stress strain equations

NOTE: Continuum codes accommodate

discontinuities and Rock Block codes
accommodate deformable blocks.
 FUTURE NEEDS
(afternoon panel presentation)

Where do go from here?

ARMA WORKSHOP
June 26, 2010
Park City, Utah
Thank you!