Journal of Earth Sciences and Geotechnical Engineering
Numerical Analysis of the Large-scale Dynamic Test of Rock Support at Kiirunavaara mine – Improved Design
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Abstract
The numerical analysis results from an improved design of large-scale dynamic test of rock support (Test 6) is presented in this paper. The improved field test was designed based on the results obtained from field tests and the numerical analysis of the earlier tests (Tests 1 – 5) conducted at LKAB Kiirunavaara mine. The performed numerical analysis investigates how the improvements including minimizing the expansion of blasting gases into the burden, avoiding the complete damage of the burden, and creating sub-planar waves were achieved under the improved design of the test. Furthermore, the response of supported and unsupported excavations as well as the complex interaction of stress waves and rock support was numerically studied. The numerical analysis comprised of two stages (i) the explosion stage modelled with the finite element code LS-DYNA and (ii) the wave propagation stage which was modelled using UDEC with the results from LS-DYNA as input. The accuracy of the developed models was investigated by comparison of the UDEC models results to the data obtained from the field test. The numerical analysis results confirmed that the improved designed burden has assisted in reducing the areas of tensile yielding in the burden and as a result, the gas expansion and complete damage of the burden was avoided. The simulation results showed that the used support system (Swellex Mn 24 and reinforced shotcrete) has effectively limited the displacement of the test wall and prevented ejection during the dynamic loading. The combined numerical technique has shown its advantage when simulating blasting as well as interaction between waves and opening and it can thus be used as a tool for evaluating rock support performance.
Keywords: Numerical analysis, Large-scale test, Dynamic rock support, UDEC, LS-DYNA.
