Numerical Modelling

23/02/2006
 Contents

 Why Numerical Modelling?

 Advantages/Disadvantages of Numerical Modelling
 Examples
Why Numerical Modelling

 To predict
• Rock Mass behaviour/response to mining activities
• Support Requirements
 To design
• Optimal mining layouts
• Acceptable excavation dimensions
• Effective/efficient support
 To increase knowledge
• What mechanisms prevail?
• Sensitivity of parameters?
 Primary Fragmentation
Cave Initiation

Flow Dynamics
Draw Interaction

Undercut

Secondary
Fragmentation

Brow Support and Draw point Spacing, After Guest, 1997

Wear Secondary Blasting

Advantages/Disadvantages Numerical Modelling

 Disadvantages:
• Difficult to model the real Rock Mass variability
• Difficult to establish Rock Mass parameters (eg cohesion)
• Not always straightforward or easy to use the good codes
• Careful Interpretation of results required
 Advantages:
• Repeatable, ‘what if’, sensitivity analysis
• Non-Destructive
• Cheap
• Able to treat complex mechanism more completely/accurately,
explicitly than empirical methods
Examples
 CAVEABILITY
• Currently only empirical methods used to predict caveability.

Block Caving Geomechanics, Brown, 2003

Examples : Modelling Methodology stress analysis

Major stress
Cave

2 1
Relaxed High In situ stresses
stresses abutment
stresses

•How does the ratio between horizontal and vertical stress influence
induced stresses in the extraction level?
•How different are stresses ahead of, below and behind the cave front?
•Is there an optimum undercut direction for minimizing induced stresses?
•As the undercut size increases, will stresses increase or remain constant?
Methodology for Induced Stress Prediction

In Situ
Caved Region
Stresses

Cave-scale model
High stresses in
•Entire cave block represented vicinity of cave
•Undercut and extraction level abutment

excavations not represented

explicitly

Induced
Stresses
Around Cave
 Methodology for Induced Stress Prediction

Induced
Stresses
Around Cave

Extraction level-scale model

•Small area of the extraction level
represented High induced σ1
•Production drifts, drawpoint drifts stress ~120 MPa
and drawbells are included

Induced Stresses
around
Production and
Drawpoint
Drifts
Cave advance
Examples
 STRESS ANALYSIS
• UNDERCUTTING GEOMETRIES

Block Caving Geomechanics, Brown, 2003

Examples
 STRESS ANALYSIS
• SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS

Block Caving Geomechanics, Brown, 2003

Examples
 STRESS ANALYSIS
• SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS
FLAC3D 2.00
Settings: Model Perspective
16:58:39 Fri Jul 28 2000
Center: Rotation:
X: 3.287e+001 X: 0.000
Y: 9.423e+001 Y: 0.000
Z: 0.000e+000 Z: 10.000
Dist: 6.530e+002 Mag.: 1.95
Ang.: 22.500

Block Group
rock
lining

Modelled loads in cables

(After Bawden et all, 2002)
Itasca Consulting Group, Inc.
Minneapolis, MN USA
Examples
 GRAVITY FLOW
• PFC3D
Examples
 GRAVITY FLOW
• REBOP

After Pierce, 2004

 Examples
120 120
 GRAVITY FLOW
L1 and L2 blocks being mined

100 • REBOP Annual Grade profile BA5&BB1E combined

100

REBOP BB1E
80 80

REBOP BA5&BB1E combined

60 60
Annual Grade profile U/G

40 40

EqCPHT_MSK_REC_BB1E
EqCPHT_MSK_REC_BA5
20 20
EqCPHT_MSK_REC_BA5&BB1E REBOP BA5
EqCPHT_MSK_REC_BA5&BB1E
historical data
0 0
Aug-1991

Aug-1992

Aug-1993

Aug-1994

Aug-1995

Aug-1996

Aug-1997

Aug-1998

Aug-1999

Aug-2000

Aug-2001

Aug-2002

Aug-2003
Feb-1991

Feb-1992

Feb-1993

Feb-1994

Feb-1995

Feb-1996

Feb-1997

Feb-1998

Feb-1999

Feb-2000

Feb-2001

Feb-2002

Feb-2003
=> ADEQUATE CORRELATION After Pierce, 2004
 Examples
 UNDERCUT GEOMETRY
• PFC3D

Zone of Loosening
Flat Undercut Stable Zone Inclined Undercut
Examples
 BLASTING DESIGN
• HSBM

Explosive
Examples
 BLASTING DESIGN
• PFC3D