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By Verya Nasri

The proposed Second Avenue Subway Project in New York City is approximately 8.5 miles long, up to a depth of 120 feet beneath grade and runs the length of the eastern side of the island of Manhattan from Harlem in the north to the financial district in the south. It will reduce overcrowding and delays on the existing parallel line, improving travel for both city and suburban commuters, and upgrading access to mass transit for residents of the East Side of Manhattan. This subway line will have 16 new stations providing transfers to the existing Metro-North commuter rail service and to New York City Transit subway lines and bus services. The first phase of construction includes two TBM rock tunnels 2.4 miles long and two new large and shallow rock cavern stations with clear span openings ranging from 70 to 100 feet and length in excess of 1000 feet with 615 feet center platform, coupled with low rock cover ranging from 20 feet to 40 feet. The design methodology for these large and shallow rock caverns consists of using well known empirical methods for initial estimate of support requirements and then two and three dimensional continuum and discontinuum analyses for verification of the selected excavation sequence and support system. This paper describes the analysis and design methodologies used for the two large and shallow rock caverns with insight into how to overcome the design complexities and construction challenges of the urban underground.

Jan 1, 2008

By J. B. Scuffham, G. I. Warwick, J. B. Lott

The development of solvent extraction processes over recent years has led to their application on an increasing scale in metal extraction plants. The author's company has recently been awarded a contract for the design of the world's largest solvent extraction plant based on pump-mix mixer-settlers. The plant is designed to extract copper from a leach liquor and has an aqueous throughput of 12,000 imperial gpm. The design is based largely upon data obtained from the company's own research laboratories, where work has been undertaken on mixer impeller design, baffle design. settler area, organic entrainment recovery, etc. Investigations have been conducted into the effects of mixer impeller speed, recirculation rates, phase continuity, phase ratio, etc., on extraction efficiency, settler area, and organic entrainment losses. The implications of the results of this work on the design of a large plant using pump-mix mixer-settlers are discussed and the techniques used in overcoming certain scaling problem are outlined.

Jan 1, 1973

By D. L. Petersen, C. R. Nelson, P. M. Bergson, B. K. Nelson

Membrane waterproofing systems in large tunnels cause the partial decoupling of the concrete liner from the rockbolted and shotcreted reinforced rockmass. This decoupling leads to a loose fit of the liner in the excavation when shrinkage from cooling and moisture loss occurs. This increases tensile stresses which require either the addition of reinforcing steel in excess of common European practice or the potential for liner cracking. Hot weather concrete placement and cold weather service conditions increase the magnitude of the problem, while creep of the rockmass reduces it. Contact grouting also reduces, but does not eliminate, the problem.

Jan 1, 1991

By David Mast, Irwan Halim, Seung Han Kim

Fermilab is constructing a large underground cavern in Limestone to house scientific equipment. The cavern will have a complex L-shaped geometry and about 215-foot depth with relatively shallow rock cover, with service/egress shafts accesses into the cavern. Three-dimensional analytical models were developed to study the ground behavior and support performance. Multiple rock constitutive and failure models were evaluated. The models were significantly impacted by the high lateral in-situ earth pressure at the site. This paper will describe the design approaches that were taken to optimize the cavern arch geometry to allow safe construction in shallow rock, and permanent support requirements.

Jun 13, 2021

By Richard Brummer, John Hadjigeorgiou, Patrick Andrieux

Some of the major challenges associated with underground mining at depth and/or under high extraction ratios are related to the resulting high stress levels, which can lead to the failure and collapse of the rock mass surrounding the excavations. Sudden and violent failures, which can have severe consequences, represent the highest degree of difficulty in terms of underground personnel exposure, erratic and unpredictable production, ground rehabilitation requirements, possible reserve losses and overall mining costs.

Jan 1, 2012

By Salim Mezazigh

Usually different methods for designing a single pile submitted to a lateral loading are available. They are based on theory of elasticity with the parameters E,v or subgrade reaction method using the p-y curves. The subgrade reaction methods are commonly used. They allow determining the efforts exerted along the piles and their corresponding displacements. Before any design the reaction curves P-y must be well defined for each foundation soil layer. These curves link the pile horizontal displacement y to the subgrade reaction of soil P. Different in situ tests such as the static penetrometer or the pressuremeter give a possibility to get the P-y curves in the case of a single pile installed in sand with an horizontal surface and statically laterally loaded. These ideal conditions are not always respected on the site around the pile if appear slopes, embankments, or buildings... The behaviour of such configurations of piles is more sophisticated due to the proximity ( slope, embankment, earthworks, buildings,..). A research program has been conducted to determine the influence of a slope on the P-y curves by centrifuge modelling. The centrifuge tests constitutes an experimental approach allowing parametric studies in respect with similitude laws in geotechnique. Before all, repeatable tests have demonstrated that the test conditions, the instrumentation equipment and the installation method for piles are well controlled. By this way, the obtained results from centrifuge tests can be transferred to the prototype i.e. the in situ piles. Many tests have been performed on piles in sand to determine the influence of a pile on the p-y curves. The main objective is to give for practice some coefficients to apply to p-y single pile curve to take into account the proximity slope effect. Here the experimental set up is described and in particular the proximity slope effect is discussed. Deduced subgrade reaction reduction factors are proposed for piles in sand under lateral loading.

Jan 1, 2002

By Roy EI. Durr, Glen R. Davidge

"This paper presents the results of structural analyses and full-scale destructive tests conducted on liner plate culverts. The purpose of this work was to establish a design method and evaluate the suitability of using these structures in potential roof-fall areas for a rehabilitation application in lower stress and relaxed mining environments. Field evaluation of the design is currently in progress.Theoretical ultimate resistance functions were established for two different culvert shapes and were found to be representative of their experimental behaviour. The ultimate resistance function was used to determine their plastic behaviour to a rapidly increasing deflection condition, to determine the energy absorption capacity of these structures, and to predict their response to impact loading.IntroductionThe Kidd Creek mine of Falconbridge Limited is located justnorth of Timmins, Ontario. The area under rehabilitation for which this program was developed is the 2600 level of the No. I mine. The problem of effectively securing selected drifts at the 2600 level in NO.1 mine, for access to a high-grade ore block, is key to the economics of the operation. Diamond drill test holes had indicated a loosened rock mass above the 2600 level of about 7.5 m thick in response to the extensive mining operation below this level. This level forms the arbitrary boundary between the No. I and No. 2 mines, and has extensive volumes of cemented rock fill below it and largely untouched ore above it to the 2000 level in the North orebody. The walls at that level were showing relaxed ground conditions typical of de-stress: sub-horizontal joints opening up, and peeling.Due to the ground conditions, the consequent safety risks, the high grade of the ore, the potential production delays, and the likelihood of several phases of rehabilitation, regularly used drift rehabilitation employing rock bolts, cable bolting, or shotcrete was not practical. Two options were deemed possible alternatives to suit these conditions, steel sets with blocking and lagging, and liner plate culverts with backfill. Culverts were chosen."

Jan 1, 1995

By A. Kazemi, M. A. Ahmadi

Pressure tunnels are constructed nurously in related with powerhouse. In some cases, according to high internal water pressure, rock mass around tunnel can seldom suffer this pressure. So installation of concrete lining which interacts with rock mass and suffers parts of this pressure and transfers the rest of the pressure to the rock. In this paper hydromechanical interaction between rock and lining is investigated. With using empirical and numerical methods concrete lining for Symareh waterway is designed. Initial support of 10 cm reinforced shotcret with wire mesh and rock bolts pattern of 2.5*2.5 m with length of 4 m is suggested. By using FLAC package final lining with paying attention to axial force and momentum in reinforced concrete was designed. Reinforced concrete with 60 cm thickness and two rows of bars, 18 mm diameter and 20 cm spacing are designed. Also for preventing cracks in concrete which caused by the change of temperature and shrinkage, bars with 10 mm diameter and 25 cm spacing, and also bars with 8 mm diameter and 10 cm as minimum shear bars are suggested. Plusieurs galeries en pression se construisent en liaison avec les centrales électriques. Dans certaines galeries, suite à une haute pression interne de l'eau, le massif rocheux autour de la galerie ne peut pas supporter cette pression. L'installation d'une couche de béton a l'intérieur de la galerie donc réagit avec les roches et support d'une partie de cette pression et transfère le reste de la pression aux roches. Dans ce papier, l'interaction hydromécanique entre la roche et la couche en béton a été étudiée. En se basant sur les méthodes empiriques et numériques le système de support de galerie de passage d'eau de Saymareh a été conçu. Un soutènement initial d'une épaisseur de 10 cm de béton étant renforcé par un grill métallique et une maille de boulon (2.5 * 2.5 m) d'une longueur de 4 m a été proposé. En utilisant le logiciel de FlAC, la couche finale en béton selon les forces dans le béton a été conçue. Le béton renforcé d'une épaisseur de 60 cm et deux ranges d'armateurs (18 mm de diamètre) avec un intervalle de 20 cm a été conçu. De plus; pour éviter des fissures dans le béton suite au changement de la température et de l'extraction, des armateurs de 10 mm de diamètre et de 25 cm d'intervalle pour augmenter la résistance au sciesiement du béton ont été proposes Unter Druck stehende Tunnels werden hauptsaechlich im Zusammenhang mit Kraftwerken gebaut. In einigen Faellen, wo der Wasserdruck zu hoch ist, Kann selten die Felsenmasse diesen hoehen Druck allein aufnehwen. Deshalb werden sie mit Betonauskleidung versehen, die wegen guter Wechelwirkung mit der Felsenmasse einen Hauptanteil des Druckes aufnehmen Kann, wobei der Rest an die Felsenmesse weitergeleitet wird. In dieser Arbeit wird die hydromechanische Wechelwirkung zwischen der Gesteinmasse und der Auskleidung untersucht. Mit Hilfe empirischen und numerischen Verfahren sowie Kombination der beiden wurde eine Betonauskleidung fuer die Symareh Wasser Kannal koustruiert. Als erstes wurde ein 10Cm dicker armierter Beton mit einem Mashengitter von 2.5*2.5 sowie den gleichen Felsbolzenabstaenden und einer Laenge von 4 m vorgeschlagen. Mit Hilfe des FLAC Programms wurde die Hauptauskleidung unter Beruecksichtigung von Axialkraeften und Momenten im Stahlbeton koustruiert. Der 60 Cm dicke Stahlbeton wurde mit zwei Reihen von Stangen, 8 mm im Durchmesser und in Abstaenden von 20 Cm koustruiert. Ferner im Sinne der Vorbeugung gegen Rissen im Beton, die durch Temperatur aendeungen und Schrumpfungen bedingt sind, wurden Stangen mit 10 mm Durchmesser und 2.5 Cm Abstaenden zur Erhoehung vor Scherfestigkeit des Betons vorgeschlagen.

Jan 1, 2003

The progress of longhole open stoping (LHOS) at The Zinc Corporation, Limited and New Broken Hill Consolidated Limited (ZC/NBHC) is described. The design of a novel sloped wall longhole stoping method at NBHC which should allow the cuplete extraction of the orebody without the formation of pillars and with minimal dilution of the ore with sandfill is reviewed.

Jan 1, 1983

By D. S. Choi, H. von Schonfeldt, H. D. Dahl

The design of pillars around a longwall panel in which the effect of the adjacent and worked-out panel is taken into consideration is discussed. A mathematical model is used to duplicate field observations such as opening closure and pillar rib movement. The model is then used to predict the effect of changes in mining geometry on the opening stability.

Jan 1, 1976

By D. S. Choi

Underground production of coal by longwall methods has increased significantly in the last few years and will very likely continue to: increase. There are several reasons for this. First, as mining moves into seams having greater overburden, roof exposure must be reduced since support will become' increasingly expensive. Secondly, the growing demand for coal has forced the coal industry to seek alternative, more productive, coal mining methods. In addition, the longwall method greatly simplifies the underground ventilation network. This paper addresses itself to the design of longwall development headings, particularly to those of the United States where multiple development headings are required by law. The most burdensome problem encountered in many longwall mining installations is deterioration of the tailgate due to the combined effect from, the active longwall gob and the old gob made by mining the previous panel.1 Portions of the tailgate entry are sometimes closed to such a degree that extensive repair work is necessary to keep the entry in usable condition. The purpose of this paper is to present the result of a study in progress which combines field measurements with numerical model analysis to reduce the cost of maintaining tailgate entries in longwall mining systems.

Jan 1, 1975

By Peter Cain

Longwall extraction in the Phalen Scam in the Sydney Coalfield of Nova Scotia is carried out under flooded abandoned workings in the Harbour Seam 140 m above, and at depth of up to 700 m beneath the Atlantic Ocean. Careful planning of panel and pillar dimensions is necessary to prevent inflows from the overlying workings and to prevent the development of excessive subsidence strains at the seabed. This paper briefly summarises the research undertaken over the past five years by CBDC and CBCRL into the problems associated with mining under water, and then describes the development and application of a design/planning code of practice developed jointly by CBDC, CBCRL and mine regulatory agencies. The design method employed in the Code of Practise is based on empirical data from the coalfield and parameters developed from subsidence modelling and previous water inflow experience. It includes precautionary measures to be adopted during development and mining, and monitoring procedures to be followed. It is flexible enough to allow future developments in the understanding of inflow mechanisms to be incoporated without major modifications, and represents a major step forward in reducing the potential hazards associated with coal extraction in the coalfield.

Jan 1, 1996

By Jinsheng Chen, S. S. Peng

The relationship between support performance parameters and parameters representative of mining and roof conditions is characterised by uncertainty, non-linearity and dependence, so the theory of artificial neural networks was selected as a basis for shield design. A computer program based on a back-propagation training algorithm was written to derive the weighting factors between inputs and outputs from field data; once these had been established two mathematical models were developed to describe the relationship. Back-calculation of field data indicates that the results generated from the neural network models are much more accurate than those derived by traditional methods and can be used with a higher level of confidence. The support density, possible yield frequency of face supports and interval of periodic roof weighting under specific mining and roof conditions can be determined by application of the models

Jun 21, 1905

By D. S. Choi, D. L. McCain

A method of estimating the chain pillar size required to support the wide working faces of longwall or shortwall coal mining is presented. The pillar size is determined through the use of coal strength, entry geometry, panel width, and overburden pressure. Design analysis is focused on a three-entry development system in the Pittsburgh Seam but can be used for other development plans and other seams by substitution of the proper geometric and strength data.

Jan 1, 1981

By Joel Nonnweiler, David Young, John Hawley

The Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District has implemented a billion-dollar interceptor system master plan, including the 31 km (19 mile) long Lower Northwest Interceptor (LNWI). For the two LNWI Sacramento River crossings, pipe-jack/micro tunnel drives in excess of 300 meters (1,000 ft) from 30 meter (100 ft) deep shafts in mixed soil conditions below the water table were considered, as were600 meter (2,000 ft) tunnel drives utilizing pressurized-face tunnel boring machines. Operation and maintenance concerns, predicted flood scour, and levee concerns are discussed. A risk assessment process was used to select both profile and construction method. Construction will begin in mid 2004.

Jan 1, 2003

By P. Forrest

Based on the results of mathematical analysis, photoelastic modelling, and case studies, the mechanisms of longwall under- mining interaction has been thoroughly investigated. The effects of using yield pillars in combination with rigid pillars in lower seam mine design have been found to provide significant improvement in ground conditions during undermining. Off- setting of solemnized longwall panel entries relative to upper-seam remnant structures has proven to be effective in alleviating adverse stress conditions.

Jan 1, 1988

By Rollin A. Slater

The bulk materials handling industry has served silently for years as the skeleton structure and often the central system of nerves and nourishment for the body of basic production industries. During the past two decades, this body has undergone substantial growth and mutation to meet the surging demands of our national economy for more and better products. The steel industry has been prominent in this phenomena and plants of the sixties are as unlike the second war vintage as our current crop of basketball players differ from their fathers. Steel has kept pace with spiralling demand by innovation which has resulted in new processes and improved designs which generally yield greater production from fewer units. The supporting industry of materials handling has likewise improved its techniques and currently has a new stronger generation of equipment to perform its necessary supporting function. It has been my fortunate experience to have been instrumental in the creative stages of several new steel mills which are currently in conceptual design or actual construction. Drawing upon exerpts from this experience, this paper will describe a basic approach to the selection and application of modern bulk materials handling systems to an entirely new steel plant. Specific details of past work are not available for publication, therefore, the plant described herein is a composite of ideas and will be the new plant of the Hypothetical Steel Corporation which will be located on the lower shores of the Great Lakes.

Jan 1, 1967

The paper describes the design of the dilute medium and medium recovery circuits installed at the coal preparation plants at the Cornwall Coal Company's Fingal Mine, and the BP Coal Australia's Howick Mine. These circuits maximize the use of clarified water for rinsing to improve the mass transfer of adhering medium from the coal surface into the carrying liquid, and have been combined with the use of a two stage magnetic separator. The separator utilizes a conventional concurrent first stage and a counter-rotation second stage. This combination results in high medium recoveries during both normal operation, and start up and shut down phases when large quantities of medium can be lost from a conventional circuit. Overall losses using this circuit have been estimated to be, 200g/t, over a twelve month period. Further advantages in plant operation are also obtained, especially steady operating conditions in the centre-tube pump tank, lower slimes contamination of the product, and lower quantities of non magnetics trapped in the separator concentrates. The techniques are particularly suited to incorporation in circuits treating coals containing high percentages of sticky and difficult clays, as are found in the Walloon coal measures.

Jan 1, 1987

By B. P. Watson

The Bushveld platinum group metal deposits are two distinct, shallow-dipping stratiform tabular orebodies which strike for many hundreds of kilometres. Mining is extensive, with depths ranging from close-to-surface to 2 300 m. The mining method is a variation of planar open stoping. Pillars are widely employed to support the open stopes. In the deeper levels, in-stope pillars are required to fail in a stable manner soon after being cut, and the residual pillar strength is used to stabilize the hanging wall. These pillars are commonly known as crush pillars. Little work has been done in the past to determine pillar peak and residual strengths, and pillars have been designed using experience and formulae developed for other hard-rock mines. This has led to over and undersize pillars with consequential loss of ore, pillar bursts and potential collapses. This paper describes a crush pillar design methodology, and provides design charts. Three mining environments were incorporated in the investigations, which included underground and laboratory measurements, analytical solutions, numerical model sand back analyses. The results of the study are suitable for the areas where the research was carried out, and may also be applied with caution in other similar environments.

Jan 1, 2010

By J. C. Loretto

The philosophy and detail of mill design in developing countries, where it is frequently difficult to obtain experienced, qualified supervision to operate the plant, are discussed. The resulting design suggests the desirability of simple units, with maximum visibility of equipment operation and material movement, which allow the minimal technical supervision to see the plant conditions prevailing. Information on plant conditions during periods of lesser supervision can be provided by the use of simple, low-maintenance recorders. Where the mill is intended for operation in a developing country, it is insufficient for the flowsheets and plant layouts merely to be drawn: the process metallurgist must pay meticulous attention to details that could ordinarily be left to the design detailing group. The design of this type of mill requires a knowledge of human engineering—of the type of individual who will operate and supervise the plant; probable changes in personnel should be taken into account. Details are suggested for coarse-ore handling, screens, feeders, secondary and tertiary crushers, conveyors, dust collecting, fine-ore feeding, grinding mills, conditioners, flotation, thickeners, filters, reagent systems, sand pumping, sampling, instrumentation, safety and construction

Dec 1, 1971