de Beer, W, William, R, Prahastudhi, S & Braim, M 2024, 'Advanced analysis of seismic data to validate critical assumptions', in P Andrieux & D Cumming-Potvin (eds), Deep Mining 2024: Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Deep and High Stress Mining, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 981-994, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2465_62
(https://papers.acg.uwa.edu.au/p/2465_62_de_Beer/)
Abstract: Passive mine seismic data are mainly used for hazard assessment in various forms. Although geophysical methods generally do not provide absolute numbers, locations of density or velocity contrasts, seismic source mechanisms and stress directions can be determined. Stress inversions, using seismic moment tensors, and passive seismic tomography can be used to reach conclusions about the state and fabric of the rock mass at a given time. Stress inversions are useful in describing the stress field distribution of the rock mass at a given time and place. Tomographic methods are useful for tracking the influence of mining on the surrounding rock. Tomographic methods also provide information in areas where there is no seismic activity but which are traversed by seismic radiation.
These techniques are applied to a block cave to test and expand geotechnical models and illustrate the evolution of stress distribution in the rock.

Keywords: seismicity, tomography, stress inversion, time lapse, model validation