Characteristics of Ground Pressure Disaster and Rockburst Proneness in Deep Gold Mine

Abstract

Abstract To obtain rockburst characteristics at rock engineering, the rockburst event, in situ stress characteristics, and rockburst proneness are studied in a deep gold mine. The severity of rockburst increases with cover depth at the mine. The main locations of spalling and rockburst events include roof and sidewall. The in situ stress measurement results show this area that is controlled by horizontal constructional pressure, and the self-weight stress also has an important influence. The rockburst mechanism is analyzed from the principal stress and tangential stress. When the maximum tangential stress (MTS) does not exceed 0.4 times UCS of surrounding rock, no obvious disaster in tunnel is found. When the MTS of tunnel is between about 0.4 ~ 0.55 times UCS of rock, the tunnel may suffer spalling. When the MTS of tunnel exceeds 0.55 times UCS of rock, serious failure may occur in tunnel, such as rockburst and large roof collapse. When surrounding rock is relatively hard and complete (high impact energy index, elastic strain energy index, linear elastic energy index, and RQD index), the tangential stress plays a very important role in the rockburst at the mine.