A flow-controlled support formulation for coupled cave propagation modelling

Authors: Hebert, Y; Lawrence, K; Peik, B Download Paper Open access courtesy of:

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2645_20

Cite As:
Hebert, Y, Lawrence, K & Peik, B 2026, 'A flow-controlled support formulation for coupled cave propagation modelling', in A van As, D Cumming-Potvin & J Wesseloo (eds), Caving 2026: Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Block and Sublevel Caving, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 1-15, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_repo/2645_20



Abstract:
Coupled continuum–flow simulations are widely used to simulate cave propagation, reflecting the influence of gravity-flow on stress redistribution and cave growth. While this influence is well recognised, how mobilised material interacts mechanically with the surrounding rock mass remains an open area of investigation; with a range of numerical formulations used in practice. This paper reviews existing coupled approaches with emphasis on how gravity flow is linked to stress redistribution. Building on this context, a new coupled formulation is introduced in which material mobilisation is represented through a controlled and progressive reduction in support and confinement at the cave boundary. The approach retains key physical mechanisms while improving computational efficiency for large-scale applications. The methodology incorporates a dedicated gravity-flow formulation designed specifically for efficient coupling within large-scale three-dimensional cave simulations. The proposed formulation separates vertical support and lateral confinement mechanisms and introduces a locally defined propagation capacity that constrains cave growth based on flow activity and available void space. This provides a direct and physically consistent link between material movement and stress redistribution, while reducing sensitivity to coupling interval selection. The approach retains key physical mechanisms associated with cave propagation, including airgap development, overhang formation, cave stalling, and draw-strategy dependency, while remaining computationally practical for large-scale applications. The methodology is demonstrated through a series of example applications, illustrating its ability to reproduce key cave propagation behaviours under different draw strategies and rock mass conditions.

Keywords: cave propagation, numerical modelling, continuum–flow coupling

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