Advances in estimating the capacity of ground support systems subjected to dynamic loading

Authors: Sewnun, D; Potvin, Y

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2625_29

Cite As:
Sewnun, D & Potvin, Y 2026, 'Advances in estimating the capacity of ground support systems subjected to dynamic loading', 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. 1-17, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2625_29

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Abstract:
During the last 2 decades, significant progress has been made by ground support suppliers in developing new dynamically capable ground support components. The mining industry has embraced these new products, many of which are currently implemented in underground mines. Furthermore, the understanding of the dynamic capacity of ground support elements has improved dramatically with the proliferation of laboratorybased dynamic testing rigs (Li et al. 2021), producing a significant body of published test results, as summarised in Potvin & Hadjigeorgiou (2020). Nevertheless, major gaps in technology exist, and it is still not possible to assess with confidence the capacity of a complete ground support system as it interacts with the dynamic deformation of rock masses. Due to the practical infeasibility of instrumenting real rockbursts, it is argued that this difficult problem can only be resolved using blasting as a means of generating strong ground motion and measuring parameters associated with the rapid fracturing and bulking of a supported fractured rock mass. A new displacement-based in situ dynamic testing methodology based on blasting has been developed as part of the third phase of the Ground Support System Optimisation (GSSO 3) research project. This paper presents the new methodology and shares the results obtained from its implementation.

Keywords: dynamic ground support systems, in situ dynamic testing, rock mass bulking, support capacity

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