Stress changes in underground mines - from theoretical investigation to practical recommendations
Stress changes due to underground mining are the main cause for mining-induced seismic events. These events can cause damage in the rock and mine infrastructure and even casualties and lead to long-term closure of large mine areas. Although the stress changes are important factor, currently there are no methods for their mine-wide continuous monitoring.
The information about the stresses is very limited to specific points (in-situ measurements and monitoring) or determined by numerical modelling in some cases (for specific area and period of time). The relationship between the local stress changes in the mines and the induced seismic events is also not very well understood. There are some studies for specific cases but without general conclusions, applicable for other mines.
The aim of this project is to develop methodologies (seismic tomography, stress inversion, and grid analysis of seismic source parameters) for continuous monitoring of the stress changes. These are known methodologies used sometimes in mine environment but their usefulness as stress proxies is not studied. Independent data from in-situ stress monitoring installed during the project and high-quality numerical modelling will be used to verify the possibility for using these methodologies with their spatial and temporal resolution. The verifications will show which methodology can be used and how. The obtained data from the stress monitoring using the proxies will be used to investigate the relationships between stress changes and seismicity in four different mines in Sweden. The results will give solid information for making recommendations for practical applications of the proxies for stress monitoring as well as for seismic hazard assessment and mine design purposes.
Contact
Savka Dineva
- Professor
- 0920-493214
- savka.dineva@ltu.se
- Savka Dineva
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