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Rock Mechanics.pdf - Mining and Blasting

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Figure 7.13 Square opening with<br />

rounded corners, in a medium subject<br />

to hydrostatic stress.<br />

Figure 7.14 Effect of changing the<br />

relative dimensions of a mine haulage<br />

drive, to mitigate sidewall failure.<br />

EXCAVATION SHAPE AND BOUNDARY STRESSES<br />

boundary stresses. This is illustrated by the problem shown in Figure 7.14a. The arched<br />

opening has a width of 4.0 m <strong>and</strong> a height of 4.5 m, which are not unusual dimensions<br />

for a mine haulage. For a field stress ratio K of 0.3, an inscribed ellipse indicates<br />

approximate sidewall stresses of 2.5p, using equation 7.6. If the observed performance<br />

of the opening involved crushing of the sidewalls, its redesign should aim to reduce<br />

stresses in these areas. Inspection of equation 7.6 indicates this can be achieved by<br />

reducing the excavation width/height ratio. For example, if the width/height ratio is<br />

reduced to 0.5, the peak sidewall stress is calculated to be 1.7p. While the practicality<br />

of mining an opening to this shape is not certain, the general principle is clear, that<br />

the maximum boundary stress can be reduced if the opening dimension is increased<br />

in the direction of the major principal stress. For this case, a practical solution could<br />

be achieved as shown in Figure 7.14b, by mining an opening with a low width/height<br />

ratio, <strong>and</strong> leaving a bed of mullock in the base of the excavation.<br />

211

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