Open Pit Slope Research Articles

A fully coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical model for fractured rock masses in cold regions

Freezing-thawing disasters are caused by the coupling effect of thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) activity in rock masses at low temperatures, which seriously threatens the safety of rock mass engineering in cold regions. The accuracy of the coupled THM model is controlled by coupling parameters, such as the migration velocity of unfrozen water, equivalent thermal conductivity, and freezing point. The main difference in the THM coupling process between the frozen rock mass and frozen soil is the anisotropy caused by fractures, and the main difference between the frozen rock mass and normal rock mass is the existence of the ice-water phase transitions. In this paper, the governing equations for THM coupling of fractured rock masses at low temperatures are established, including the mechanical equilibrium equation, continuity equation and energy conservation equation. These equations include the effect of fractures, ice-water phase transitions, water migration and thermal expansion and contraction, which can also be degenerated to equations for rock masses without fractures. Then, the main parameters for the THM analysis are studied. The migration velocity of unfrozen water is closely related to the fractures, temperature, pressure, and phase transitions. Based on the energy conservation law, the expression of the equivalent thermal conductivity is proposed, which is a function of the geometric parameters of fractures, the thermal conductivity of each component, and the content of unfrozen water. Finally, the correctness of the proposed model are validated by Neaupane's experiment and an actual open-pit slope.

Stability Evaluation of Medium Soft Soil Pile Slope Based on Limit Equilibrium Method and Finite Element Method

The stability of an open-pit slope is an extremely important factor related to the safe production of an open-pit mine. It is the first safety technical problem encountered and should be solved in the process of mine design and production. By the means of an engineering geology and hydrogeological investigation of the waste dump area of the Nayuan open-pit coal mine and numerical simulation research, this paper analyzes and studies the slope stability of the stope and waste dump of the Nayuan open-pit coal mine in detail and puts forward measures such as slope prevention and automatic monitoring to achieve the goal of protecting the slope of the stope and waste dump and the surrounding environment. The main research results are as follows: (1) The geotechnical physical and mechanical indexes of stope and waste dump are collected and analyzed, and the geotechnical mechanical indexes in this report were determined, which basically meet the requirements of slope stability analysis. (2) The limit equilibrium method and finite element method were used to analyze and evaluate the current slope stability of the Nayuan open-pit coal mine. It was concluded that the foundation of the waste dump is basically stable, and the potential landslide modes of the slope are arc-shaped sliding surface and arc-shaped straight-line sliding surface. The numerical simulation and checking results showed that the current stope and waste dump slope are stable. (3) According to the analysis and evaluation results of slope stability, feasible slope prevention measures are put forward. The research results are of great significance to the safety of important facilities in open-pit mines and provide a basis for the design and safety implementation of open-pit slope engineering.

The Slope Safety, Heavy Metal Leaching, and Pollutant Diffusion Prediction Properties under the Influence of Unclassified Cemented Paste Backfill in an Open Pit.

Open-pit unclassified cemented paste backfilling (OPUCPB) methods have not only addressed the disposal problems of tailings but also eliminated geological hazards of high and steep open pit slopes and created conditions for ecological restoration of the open pit in the future. In this paper, slope safety simulations, heavy metal leaching, groundwater monitoring, and pollutant diffusion predictions were examined to evaluate the slope safety pattern and environmental protection enabled by OPUCPB. The results showed that: (1) The safety factor of the open pit slope was proportional to the height of OPUCPB operation. Under the condition of seismic force and seepage field, the safety factor of slope B was increased from 1.188 to 1.574 by OPUCPB. (2) The toxic and harmful components in tailings were significantly stabilized by the OPUCPB. Under the conditions of acid leaching and water leaching, the quality of the leaching solution met the requirements of the class III limit of groundwater (GB/T14848-2017). (3) The monitoring results of groundwater quality around the open pit showed that the OPUCPB had no effect on groundwater, and the water quality met the requirements of the class III limit of groundwater (GB/T14848-2017). (4) Considering the diffusion prediction of pollutants and groundwater under extreme conditions, it was found that the pollution process is slow, and the shortest time required for pollutants to reach the standard limit is 232 d at a distance of 50 m from the leakage point. Therefore, the influence of OPUCPB can be controlled, and this method can achieve improved reclamation of open pits and safety treatment of tailings. It was worth popularizing and applying in mining enterprises.

Risk Assessment of Open-Pit Slope Based on Large-Scale Group Decision-Making Method Considering Non-Cooperative Behavior

Risk Assessment of Open-Pit Slope Based on Large-Scale Group Decision-Making Method Considering Non-Cooperative Behavior

On the Freeze-Thaw Instability of an Open Pit Slope Using Three-Dimensional Laser Scanning and Numerical Simulation

In order to reveal the instability law of open pit mine slope in high-cold and high-altitude area. Firstly, the slope structural plane is scanned by three-dimensional (3D) laser scanning technology, and the point cloud data is obtained to realize the intelligent identification of rock mass structural plane. The geometric parameters of rock mass are counted, and the physical structure model is established. Then, we carry out freeze-thaw cyclic tests on granite to obtain the corresponding mechanical parameters. Finally, according to the obtained mechanical parameters, we use RS2 finite element software to calculate the shear strength of structural plane and joint by generalized Hoek-Brown criterion and Barton-Bandis criterion, respectively, establish the geomechanical model, and use the finite element strength reduction method to calculate the safety factor of slope and judge the instability of slope. The results show that the physical and mechanical properties of granite deteriorate with the increase of the freeze-thaw cycle. Under the action of the freeze-thaw cycle, the pore water in the rock mass freezes and forms frost heaving force. The expansion of volume leads to the further development of joint fissures. The strength of rock slope decreases gradually with the increase of freeze-thaw cycle times, and the safety factor of slope decreases continuously. It shows that repeated freeze and thaw alternation makes the stability of mine slope worse and worse. The research results are helpful to prevent the occurrence of slope disasters in advance and are of great significance to effectively and safely manage the stability of slope, the treatment of open pit, and environmental treatment.

Failure Mechanism and Stability Control Technology of Slope during Open-Pit Combing Underground Extraction: A Case Study from Shanxi Province of China

With the development of society, the demand for mineral resources is gradually increasing, and the current situation of decreasing total resources dictates the inevitable interaction between open-pit combing underground extraction (OPUG) in time and space. In this research, we took the Anjialing coal mine in Shanxi Province of China as a case study, and tested the physical and mechanical properties of coal rocks in the laboratory. The similarity criterion was used to build a similar experimental model for the deformation evolution of the slope of the open-pit mine section; the digital scattering method was used to test the influence of the underground mining process parameters on the deformation evolution of the open-pit slope. The results showed that there was an obvious distribution of “three zones” above the mining goaf, namely, a collapse zone, fracture zone, and slow subsidence zone. When the mining face was continuously advanced towards the bottom of the open pit, the supporting stress of the mining face transferred to the side of the open-pit slope. Additionally, large displacement and stress concentration were observed on the slope near the stoping line, which caused the slope body to move along the uppermost part of the slope first, and thereafter along the lower part. Various techniques for slope stability control are discussed, including the optimization of spatial and temporal relationships between open-pit and underground mining, the optimization of mining plans, and the use of monitoring and early warning systems. The results can provide a guide for slope stability control of similar open-pit mines in the process of mining coal resources.

Iron ore underground mining under the internal overburden dump at the PJSC “Northern GZK”

Deterioration of mining conditions at mining deposits by open pit methods (increased mining depths, reduced ore deposit thickness) leads to an increase in mining costs. In Ukraine, to reduce open pit mining costs, overburden is disposed in temporary internal dumps located directly in the open pit over the ore reserves. Reactivation of pit areas with the temporary internal overburden dump located on them results in a surge of mining operations and deterioration of technical and economic indicators. Increased energy consumption, a decrease in working site parameters, an increase in angles of open pit slopes and stripping lags lead to unprofitability of open pit mining. One of the solutions to the mentioned scientific and engineering problem involves combined mining of deposits by integrated open pit and underground mining operations. The combined open pit-underground mining method enables reducing mining costs and enhancing technical and economic indicators. The suggested schemes for opening reserves located under the internal overburden dump enhance technical and economic indicators of deposit mining through making the internal dump a permanent one. This allows further disposal of overburden into internal dumps. Implementation of scientific recommendations and technological solutions resulted from the research performed (exemplified by the deposit Hannivske, Ukraine) reduces the cost of ore by 1.33 USD/t. At the same time, the total cost of building an underground mine makes 16.4 M USD, which is 30% less than when applying traditional opening vertical shaft schemes.

Study on the Size and Occurrence Effects of Equivalent Elasticity Modulus of Orthogonal Random Jointed Rock Masses

Under the engineering background of a + 144-m mining platform on an open pit slope of Xinqiao Mining Corporation, the eigenvalue distribution function of joints was acquired based on the massive statistics of field joints. Next, an orthogonal random joint model was constructed using the Monte Carlo method based on the UDEC software platform. Subsequently, the representative elementary volume (REV) size and occurrence effects of the equivalent elasticity modulus of the orthogonal random jointed rock mass were explored through numerical experiments with lots of discrete elements. The results showed that the equivalent elasticity modulus of the orthogonal random jointed rock mass was of evident size effect, and the relationship between the mean equivalent elasticity modulus Eeq and the REV size of the rock mass followed the negative power function distribution. Before the model size reached the REV size, its Eeq was greatly discrete. Under different joint angles, both the standard deviation σf and coefficient of variation δ of the equivalent elasticity modulus of this model presented discrete distribution. As the model size reached the REV size, the mean equivalent elasticity modulus Eeq showed “two-high and one-low” morphological distribution. Eeq was small when the main joint angle was α∈[30°, 40°], but it was large when α = 0° or 90°. δ was taken as 10%, so the REV size of the corresponding Eeq was 10 m × 20 m. When the model size reaches the REV size, the occurrence effect of its equivalent elasticity modulus was no longer significant.

Stability prediction and optimal angle of high slope in open-pit mine based on two-dimension limit equilibrium method and three-dimension numerical simulation

The optimization design of the open pit slope can ensure safety in production at the same time bring considerable economic benefits, so it is necessary to evaluate the stability of the initial excavation scheme of the high slope in an open-pit mine and optimize the initial slope angle according to the evaluation results. In this paper, an exhaustive study of Anyi open-pit mine in mouding County Yunnan province China has been made, and the following results have been achieved: (1)Confirmed the geological factors which affected the slope stability of open-pit mine; (2)Quantified the stability of the open-pit mine slope; (3) Under the premise of safety, the angle of the open pit high slope has been optimized on the base of the calculations of the open-pit mine high slope stability so as to ensure the maximum economic benefit. In this paper, the study area was divided into six zones. Firstly, qualitative analysis of slope stability was made by analogy method of engineering geology and stereographic projection method according to the orebody location, the properties of rock and soil in slope, the height of slope, and so on. The analysis shows that the preliminary design of slope angle is so large to ensure safety. Secondly, the stability of different slopes of a high slope is the quantitative analysis of different zones in high slope was made by two-dimensional limit equilibrium method and the finite difference method. In this paper, the mechanical parameters of rock are obtained by a laboratory test, and the stability of the high slope is quantitatively analyzed by two-dimensional limit equilibrium and three-dimensional numerical simulation.

Stability of inner dump slope under coal pillar support: case study in an open-pit coal mine

The stability of an inner dump slope was investigated under the effect of coal pillar support considering the development position of dumping. Based on the instability mechanism and load distribution characteristics of the supporting coal pillar, the three-dimensional mechanical effects of the supporting coal pillar are characterized. Using the two-dimensional equivalent principle and the residual thrust method, the stability of the inner dump slope was analyzed under the effect of pillar support at different dump development positions. The quantitative effects of various factors on the inner dump slope stability were revealed, and the coal pillar shape parameters were optimized through numerical simulations. The results indicate that the slope stability coefficient is linearly related to the top width and height of the coal pillar, slope angle, and base inclination angle, and has an exponential relation with the coal pillar strike length and slope height increment. There are quadratic and absolute value relations with the coal pillar outer and the inner bottom angle, respectively. The top width of the coal pillar in the inner dump of Shengli East No.2 open-pit coal mine should be at a level of + 824 m, and the optimal top width and height are 15 and 36.7 m, respectively. The instability mechanism of the supporting and retaining coal pillar obtained by numerical simulations and the stability of the inner dump are in good agreement with the theoretical analysis. Our results provide a theoretical basis for the design, treatment, and safe implementation of similar open-pit mine slope engineering.

Experimental study on uniaxial compression failure modes and acoustic emission characteristics of fissured sandstone under water saturation

Widely distributed fissures in the open-pit slope (especially those which are in water-rich conditions) determine the slope stability. In order to study the effects of water and fissures on rock’s mechanical properties and corresponding acoustic emission characteristics, red sandstones containing dual-fissure with different angle configurations were prepared for uniaxial compression tests along with acoustic emission (AE) monitoring in this study. The impacts of water content and fissure angles on rock strength, failure mode and acoustic emission characteristics were analyzed. Moreover, the kernel density estimation (KDE) was accepted to quantify the AE events spatial distribution, then distinguishing difference between dry and saturated rocks’ failure modes. This study reveals that the presence of water in the rock lowers of the rock strength and decreases the amounts of secondary cracks and acoustic emission counts. As the fissure angle increases, both the rock strength and acoustic emission counts increase and the failure mode shifts from the tension failure to the shear failure. The b value was highly sensitive to crack propagation, reaching around 0.5 when the rock was finally destroyed under different water conditions. AE events mainly gathered in the location where the main cracks occurred. The maximum KDE density points of dry sandstone changed from concentrated state to dispersed state before failure, while the maximum density points of saturated sandstone always gathered in the middle of rock. The results of this paper lay theoretical foundations for monitoring and pre-warning of engineering rock failure in water environment.

Shear creep mechanical properties and damage model of mudstone in open-pit coal mine

Clarifying the shear creep characteristics of rock and scientifically analyzing its creep deformation law is the key to solving the problem of safe construction and long-term stability analysis of the open-pit coal slope rock mass. Shear creep tests were carried out on mudstone from an open-pit coal mine in Eastern Mongolia to reveal the creep characteristics of mudstone under different normal and shear stresses. Based on the classical Nishihara model, a new composite six-element nonlinear shear creep damage model is established by introducing nonlinear elastomers. Using the least square method, model verification and parameter identification are carried out on the variable test data. At the same time, the influence law of the model parameters on the rock creep deformation is analyzed according to the theoretical curve. The study results showed that the nonlinear shear creeps damage model could better describe the creep characteristics of rock different normal stress and shear stress levels, significantly the non-linear both the strain and time of attenuation creep and accelerated creep. The creep characteristics of the accelerated creep stage described by this model are better than those described by the classical Nishihara model. The model curve is consistent with the changing trend of the experimental data, and the degree of agreement is very high. The correlation coefficients are all above 0.98, which verifies the accuracy and rationality of the model. The influence law of creep parameters is analyzed. The parameters b and c increase nonlinearly with creep. The increase of λ accelerates the process of rock attenuation creep stage; the increase of η10 slows down the progress of rock decay creep stage; with the increase of α, the deformation and creep rate of rock in accelerated creep stage gradually increase. When η2 increases, the deformation in the acceleration stage decreases gradually. The research results can provide important theoretical support for the safe construction and long-term stability analysis of open-pit coal slope rock masses.

Fractional Catastrophe Model considering the Rheological Properties of Slope Faults

Abstract Fault properties have an important influence on the sliding mode and long-term stability of slopes. In this paper, a cusp catastrophe theoretical model of an open-pit slope is established based on the mechanical model of plane sliding slope instability. The model considers time effects, the rheological properties of fault locking sections, and the strain softening properties of fault softening section. A rheological constitutive model is constructed based on the fractional derivative according to fractional calculus. A slope instability criterion is proposed within catastrophe analysis. The influences of the fault medium length, stiffness ratio, and different orders of the fractional derivative on slope stability are discussed. The critical height and critical safety factor of the dynamic slope instability are derived, and the catastrophe instability time is predicted. The results show that longer softening stages are associated with smaller stiffness ratio values, higher fractional orders, and a greater possibility of slope instability. Slope stability is dynamic under the rheological action of the fault medium.

Effect Of Open-Pit Blasting Vibrations on a Hanging-Wall Slope: A Case Study of the Beizhan Iron Mine in China

With the increase in the depth of large-scale open-pit mining, many mines have to face problems such as what is the effect of open-pit blasting on the rock slope and how to ensure the stability of a high-steep slope. The east slope of the Beizhan iron mine in Hejing County, Xinjiang, belongs to the typical open-pit high and steep slope of mined hanging-wall ore. To study the effect of open-pit blasting vibrations on hanging-wall slope stability, the intelligent blasting vibration detector was used to monitor the open-pit blasting wave of the Beizhan iron mine and the corresponding numerical model was established. We fitted the transmission law of slope blasting vibration by Sodev’s regression formula and calculated stress, strain, and vibration velocity of the whole slope by numerical simulation. The result showed that the fitting functional relationship was correct and could be the basic rule of predicting the maximum charge amount per delay interval and minimum safe distance for this area. The estimated open-pit blasting charge weight was reasonable and blasting vibrations would have little effect on the hanging-wall slope. The research method and conclusions in this article have numerous reference values for studying the hanging-wall slope’s kinetic stability.

Numerical Investigation on Stratum and Surface Deformation in Underground Phosphorite Mining Under Different Mining Methods

With the ending of deep-concave open-pit phosphorite extractions and gradual exhausting of shallow mineral resources, stoping of phosphorite seams has entered or will enter into underground mining. Particularly for excavating slightly inclined thin and medium-thick phosphorite orebodies, roof and surface control under different mining methods is crucial for safe and efficient exploitations. In this study, the study area is located in Kunyang Phosphorite Mine characterized by slightly inclined thin and medium-thick deposits. Based on the occurrence conditions, orebody thickness, dip angle, and more factors, the mining methods of underground phosphorite are selected, including room and pillar mining, cement backfill mining, and caving mining. Numerical analysis on roof deformation and surface subsidence under the three methods is performed. The results show that the amount of roof and surface subsidence decreases successively by the caving method, room and pillar method, and cement backfill method. The maximum roof and surface subsidence by the caving method is 45.7 and 13.3 cm, respectively. Regarding shallow orebodies, the open-pit slope is obviously disturbed by the caving method and room and pillar mining method. Hence, slope displacement monitoring should be emphasized. Compared with the other two methods, the backfill mining method can use mined wastes as backfill materials and has less influence on the roof and surface during stoping and is better at controlling slope stability.

Mine Slope Stability Based on Fusion Technology of InSAR Monitoring and Numerical Simulation

In this paper, the slope of the open pit of Dahongshan iron ore mine in Yunnan is taken as the research object, the safety coefficient and settlement values of the slope under natural and rainfall conditions are derived by the finite element software Midas/GTS, and the surface settlement versus time is produced by fusing the InSAR monitoring results of the study area for a whole year to judge the stability of the open pit slope. The results show that the settlement and deformation areas shown by numerical simulation and InSAR monitoring results are consistent; the comparison between InSAR monitoring results and rainfall intensity shows that the cumulative value of slope settlement has a high correlation with heavy rainfall. The safety coefficients of the slopes of the open pit under natural conditions and rainfall conditions are 1.50 and 1.21, the cumulative value of settlement in InSAR monitoring data for one year is 18.4 mm, and no obvious large deformation area is found. The use of numerical simulation combined with InSAR monitoring can realize the analysis of the stability of the slope of the open pit mine.

Study on thermal field and insulation measures of open-pit slope in alpine area

Taking the east slope at Lingquan open-pit mine as an example, the equation for determining the thickness of the insulation layer was deduced by adopting heat transfer theory. The field measurement and finite element method was used to research the insulation performance of polyurethane in the winter. The evolution law of slope temperature field under the conditions of insulation layer with or without insulation layer, different thickness, laying widths was analyzed. Through finite element method, the temperature evolution of slope covered by insulation layer with variable thickness and width at plates was analyzed. The results show that: the temperature variation of the insulation material measured by the field experiment and the finite element method is consistent; insulation layer effectively blocks the heat transmission from rock to the outside; as the thickness increases, the temperature increases nonlinearly, and the variability of which gradually decreases. There are differences in temperature variation at the slope top, surface, and toe, the temperature has an exponential relationship with width. The width of the insulation layer paved at plate effectively affects the temperature at the slope toe, the temperature tends to a fixed value with the width increasing.

A re-assessment of metal pollution in the Dexing mining area in Jiangxi province, China: current status, hydro-geochemical controls, and effectiveness of remediation practices

This study re-assess the environmental impacts of the Dexing copper mine (the largest open-pit copper mine in Asia) on the Lean river and its two tributaries (the Dawu river and Jishui river) in the Jiangxi province, China, with particular focus on metal pollution as well as the effectiveness and side-effects of remediation activities. Results show that the Dawu river and its mixing zone with the Lean river were still heavily influenced by acid mine drainage (AMD) and loaded with elevated levels of metals, in particular Mn, Ni, and Al whose concentrations were frequently above the health-based guideline values. Manganese and Ni in the AMD-impacted waters were predicted to occur as free ions or sulfate and carbonate complexes, and thus highly-toxic to living organisms. Although Al in the AMD-impacted waters was predicted to exist largely as colloidal hydroxides with low bioavailability, abundant formation of such nano-sized particles could impair the respiratory and circulatory systems of aquatic macro-invertebrates. The integration and comparison of the results from the current and previous studies show that the concentrations of several metals (Cu, Zn, and Cd) in the Dawu river decreased significantly after 2011–2012, during which several remediation practices were implemented (e.g., AMD neutralization, excavation of contaminated sediments in impounded rivers, and rehabilitation of mine tailings and open-pit slopes). This provides evidence that these remediation practices have effectively limited the dispersion of metals from the mining area. However, AMD neutralization greatly enhanced the release of sulfate, making the mining area an even more important sulfate source.

Open-pit slope design using a DtN-FEM: Parameter space exploration

Given the sustained mineral-deposits ore-grade decrease, it becomes necessary to reach greater depths when extracting ore by open-pit mining. Steeper slope angles are thus likely to be required, leading to geomechanical instabilities. In order to determine excavation stability, mathematical modelling and numerical simulation are often used to compute the rock-mass stress-state, to which some stability criterion needs to be added. A problem with this approach is that the volume surrounding the excavation has no clear borders and in practice it might be regarded as an unbounded region. Then, it is necessary to use advanced methods capable of dealing efficiently with this difficulty. In this work, a DtN-FEM procedure is applied to calculate displacements and stresses in open-pit slopes under geostatic stress conditions. This procedure was previously devised by the authors to numerically treat this kind of problems where the surrounding domain is semi-infinite. Its efficiency makes possible to simulate, in a short amount of time, multiple open-pit slope configurations. Therefore, the method potentiality for open-pit slope design is investigated. A regular open-pit slope geometry is assumed, parameterised by the overall-slope and bench-face angles. Multiple geometrically admissible slopes are explored and their stability is assessed by using the computed stress-field and the Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion. Regions of stability and instability are thus explored in the parametric space, opening the way for a new and flexible designing tool for open-pit slopes and related problems.

Mechanical Properties of the Shear Failure of Rock Masses with Prefabricated Sinusoidal Fractures

A large number of sinusoidal fractures exist in the open‐pit slopes of mines, and the mechanical properties of shear failure are of great significance to the stability of the open‐pit slope. Sandstone specimens containing sinusoidal fractures with different undulated heights were prefabricated by the CNC sand‐wire‐electrode cutting technology to explore the effect of sinusoidal fractures on the mechanical properties of shear failure of rock masses. The TFD‐20H/50J rock shear testing machine was used for shear tests on sinusoidal‐fracture sandstone with different undulated heights. In the shear loading process, the prefabricated‐fracture sandstone specimens with different undulated heights have the fracture‐compacting stage, linear‐elastic changing stage, bottom‐up stage, and residual strength stage. Before peak strength, the sinusoidal prefabricated‐fracture rock masses with different undulated heights have the precursory characteristics of decreased stress, which can provide an early warning for the instability and failure of rock masses. The undulated height of sinusoidal fractures significantly affects the fracture initiation and propagation of specimens. Fractures occur and develop from the prefabricated fractures at low undulated height (≤10 mm) to multiple ways under the high undulated height (>10 mm); that is, fractures occur at the prefabricated fractures and the end of specimens simultaneously. With the increased undulated height, the fractures expand from parallel to the slope of the prefabricated fractures to perpendicular to the prefabricated fractures. The fracture propagation direction of sinusoidal‐fracture rock masses with different undulated heights is mainly from the middle of the slope surface of prefabricated fractures to the end. It is the main direction of the shear failure of sinusoidal prefabricated fractures, and the monitoring of weak planes should be strengthened in the actual slope engineering.