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Rock Mechanics.pdf - Mining and Blasting

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Figure 14.7 Crown <strong>and</strong> sidewall<br />

stresses developed around a cut-<strong>and</strong>fill<br />

stope at various stope geometries,<br />

<strong>and</strong> for various field stress conditions.<br />

ARTIFICIALLY SUPPORTED MINING METHODS<br />

is taken to have a crown which is semi-circular in cross section. As stoping progresses<br />

vertically in the plane of the orebody, the state of stress in the peripheral rock can<br />

be related directly to change in relative dimensions (i.e. height/width ratio) of the<br />

excavation. Points of particular value in indicating the stope boundary state of stress<br />

are point A, in the centre of the stope sidewall, <strong>and</strong> point B, in the centre of the crown<br />

of the excavation. From the discussion in section 7.4 concerning excavation shape<br />

<strong>and</strong> boundary stresses, engineering estimates of boundary stress concentration factors<br />

can be obtained from the equations<br />

<strong>and</strong> since B = W/2<br />

A/p = 1 − K + 2q (14.7)<br />

B/p = K − 1 + K (2H/B) 1<br />

2<br />

B/p = K − 1 + K [2H/(W/2)] 1<br />

2 = K − 1 + 2K (H/W ) 1<br />

2 (14.8)<br />

where q = W/H, K is the ratio of horizontal <strong>and</strong> vertical field stresses, <strong>and</strong> A, B<br />

are boundary stresses at A, B respectively.<br />

Equation 14.7 evaluates stope sidewall stress from the shape of the inscribed ellipse,<br />

while equation 14.8 evaluates stope crown stress by considering that some local<br />

curvature develops in the stope crown. This represent a lower bound estimate of<br />

crown stresses. The inscribed ellipse would predict a considerably higher state of<br />

stress in the stope crown, <strong>and</strong> would overestimate the real value.<br />

The results of calculating crown <strong>and</strong> sidewall stresses, for a range of stope<br />

height/width ratios, are given in Figures 14.7a <strong>and</strong> b. Since the value of K existing<br />

naturally in a rock mass, <strong>and</strong> particularly for settings with sub-vertical mineral<br />

veins, is frequently greater than unity, the following conclusions can be drawn from<br />

these figures. First, low states of stress, which are frequently tensile, are generated in<br />

the sidewalls of the excavation. Since a jointed or fractured rock mass will de-stress<br />

<strong>and</strong> generally disintegrate in a notionally tensile field, it is clear from the calculated<br />

sidewall stresses why narrow orebodies are frequently c<strong>and</strong>idates for a fill-based,<br />

supported method of mining. The obvious function of emplaced fill is to prevent spatially<br />

progressive disintegration, at the low local stresses, of the stope wall rock. This<br />

conclusion is supported by more extensive computational analyses of cut-<strong>and</strong>-fill<br />

420

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