Kay, G 2014, 'Backfill barricade design – determination of backfill behaviour and site conditions in structural barricade design', in Y Potvin & T Grice (eds), Mine Fill 2014: Proceedings of the Eleventh International Symposium on Mining with Backfill, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 151-158, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1404_10_Kay
(https://papers.acg.uwa.edu.au/p/1404_10_Kay/)
Abstract: Establishing safe and efficient solutions to mine fill development has led to many innovations in underground mining. However, while advancements in backfill techniques and materials have progressed significantly in recent years, the variability of site conditions, combined with the potential behaviour and loading of fill materials, continues to pose a challenge for structural design principles of barricades.

As the industry strives to formalise standards for containment devices, the introduction of new engineering approaches not only contributes to mine fill innovation, but also provides the industry with the assurance of knowing that their containment devices increase the safety factor in underground mine environments.

In designing containment barricades, the material properties, fill rate and cure times, combined with an analysis of the surrounding strata conditions, play a significant role in determining the structural design and Factor of Safety of the device. While these properties may differ from other site conditions that are prevalent in underground mines, the ability to apply research and learnings is extremely advantageous to mine fill development.

In addition to reviewing the various factors influencing mine fill containment, this paper draws a comparison to the design of other structural devices, including underground dam walls and ventilation seals, where responses to load and pressure determine the design of the structural device. Using a range of studies conducted at coal mines around Australia, it will outline the fill pressures and stress loading on the behaviour of structural components and will assess current testing and monitoring processes. With data obtained from live underground testing of various structural devices, load dynamics and responses to different stresses are analysed to establish a model for structural device specification.