Laboratory simulation of the stresses within inclined stopes
Document Type
Journal Article
Faculty
Faculty of Computing, Health and Science
School
School of Engineering
RAS ID
14902
Abstract
In the process of mining for earth resources, large underground voids called stopes are created that are later backfilled. For stability analysis of the backfilled stopes, it is necessary to understand the stress developments within the stope while the filling is in progress. Due to an arching effect, a substantial fraction of the fill weight is carried by the stope walls, depending on the physical characteristics of the walls. This paper describes the development of a laboratory model that simulates mine backfilling in an inclined stope and enables determination of the average vertical stress at any depth within the fill. The experimental results are validated against numerical models and stresses determined from an analytical expression. The effect of arching is the least when the stope is inclined at about 80° to the horizontal, giving highest vertical stresses at any depth. This fact is not captured in both the mathematical and numerical models developed in the past and the ones discussed herein. The model tests show that the lateral earth pressure coefficient is closer to K 0 for vertical stopes and Ka for inclined stopes. In the case of walls with dissimilar frictional characteristics, the analytical expression can still be used with an average value of the wall-fill friction angle.
DOI
10.1520/GTJ103693
Access Rights
subscription content
Comments
Ting, C., Sivakugan, N., & Shukla, S. K. (2012). Laboratory simulation of the stresses within inclined stopes. Geotechnical Testing Journal, 35(2), 280-294. Available here