From full-scale impact testing to practical design of dynamic ground support systems

Authors: Brändle, R; Roth, A; Bucher, R Download Paper

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2625_08

Cite As:
Brändle, R, Roth, A & Bucher, R 2026, 'From full-scale impact testing to practical design of dynamic ground support systems', 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. 1-12, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2625_08



Abstract:
Rock damage and rockburst-related events continue to pose significant hazards in underground mining and tunnelling operations. To mitigate these risks, ground support systems must be capable of absorbing and dissipating high levels of dynamic energy while maintaining post-impact integrity. Surface support elements such as high-tensile steel meshes, in combination with rockbolts, are critical components in controlling rock ejection and ensuring safe working conditions. This paper presents results from an extended full-scale dynamic testing program conducted in Walenstadt, Switzerland, aimed at enhancing the understanding and design of dynamically loaded ground support systems. Following an initial series of impact tests, additional experiments were performed to further investigate the behaviour of selected mesh-bolt configurations under varying impact energies. A purpose-built test rig enabled the application of controlled, full-scale dynamic impacts to different support systems, with systematic variations in energy input while maintaining identical system layouts. The dynamic response was monitored using load cells, accelerometers and high-speed video analysis, allowing detailed evaluation of load distribution, deformation mechanisms and energy dissipation at both element and system level. A key objective of the extended test series was to quantify the specific energy dissipation capacity of individual support elements when acting within an integrated system and to determine the spatial distribution of absorbed energy, expressed in kJ/m², across the supported area. By progressively increasing impact energy, residual capacities and post-impact safety margins of the systems were identified. Based on these findings, a system-based ground support design concept was developed, linking test-derived performance parameters with practical design criteria. The results highlight the necessity of considering ground support as an integrated system rather than as isolated components when subjected to dynamic loading. The proposed design concept, supported by full-scale experimental data, provides a practical framework for selecting and designing surface support systems with improved energy absorption and robustness, contributing to safer and more reliable underground mining operations.

Keywords: dynamic ground support, full-scale testing, energy dissipation, load transfer, ground support scheme design

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