Karatas Batan, C, Akdag, S, Zhang, C, Oh, J, Craig, P & Saydam, S 2026, '3D finite element modelling of reinforcement systems under dynamic
loading using a momentum–transfer approach', in D Cumming-Potvin & J Wesseloo (eds), Ground Support 2026: Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Ground Support in Mining, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 1-7, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2625_07
(https://papers.acg.uwa.edu.au/p/2625_07_Karatas_Batan/)
Abstract: Ground support systems in underground excavations must be designed to resist dynamic loading generated by rockbursts and seismic disturbances. There has been growing interest in understanding the behaviour of individual support system components, particularly reinforcement elements, under dynamic loading conditions. Laboratory-based tests play a critical role in evaluating their capacity. In these tests, 2 commonly used approaches, impact and momentum transfer, simulate dynamic loading conditions. The main difference between the 2 methods lies in how energy is applied to the specimen. This study presents a numerical investigation of the dynamic response of reinforcement systems using the momentum-transfer testing configuration. A three-dimensional finite element model (FEM) was developed in ABAQUS to simulate the loading conditions representative of the laboratory test. The load–displacement responses obtained from experimental tests were compared with FEM to evaluate the accuracy of the numerical representation of the support system under loading. The results show that the FEM prediction closely follows the overall trend of the experimental behaviour, capturing both the peak load and displacement response. The maximum load obtained from the FEM is approximately 350 kN, consistent with the peak load observed in the experimental data. The experimentally measured dissipated energy ranged between 8.2 and 9.5 kJ, while the numerical model calculated a dissipated energy of 11.3 kJ. Overall, the results show that the proposed numerical model can reasonably reproduce the main mechanical behaviour of reinforcement systems under dynamic loading. This confirms that the momentum-transfer approach can be used for numerical calibration and for evaluating the performance of support elements. The results also indicate that the momentum-transfer approach can be extended to more complex integrated ground support systems, contributing to a better understanding and improved design under rockburst and seismic loading conditions.

Keywords: ground support elements, finite element model, dynamic loading, momentum-transfer testing, energy dissipation