Indoor laboratory dynamic repeated drop testing of shotcrete–mesh–rockbolt ground support system

Authors: Wang, X; Guo, J; Zhang, Z

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2625_06

Cite As:
Wang, X, Guo, J & Zhang, Z 2026, 'Indoor laboratory dynamic repeated drop testing of shotcrete–mesh–rockbolt ground support system', 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. 1-13, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2625_06

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Abstract:
Surface support systems in burst-prone underground excavations are required to retain fractured rock and accommodate repeated dynamic loading. However, the influence of mesh specification and shotcrete cracking on the system response is still not well quantified. This work presents an indoor full-scale impact testing program on ground support of a shotcrete–mesh–rockbolt panel. A newly developed test apparatus called FORTRESS-Dyna (Full-scale Observation, Research, Testing on Resistance Evaluation for Support SystemDynamic) is used to conduct the dynamic drop impact test. A C35 shotcrete panel reinforced with 8 mm welded mesh at 200 × 200 mm mesh spacing and eight 3.0 m rockbolts was subjected to 24 repeated drop impacts, with the drop height increasing from 20 to 60 cm. In the shotcrete–mesh–rockbolt test, it is found that cracking of the shotcrete led to progressive stiffness loss and rapid accumulation of residual displacement at high cumulative energy. The final cumulative nominal input energy reached 64.4 kJ by the end of the test. Even after cracking, the remaining rockbolts, plates and mesh continued to provide limited restraint before final instability. The whole test is divided into 4 distinct stages: relatively high stiffness phase, cracking-leading-softening phase, connection linking dominant failure phase, and large deformation and failure phase. The test results highlight the need to assess dynamic surface support using deformation, residual displacement, and connection behaviour, rather than the peak load alone.

Keywords: dynamic ground support testing, welded mesh, shotcrete, residual displacement, surface support

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