Analysis of the efficiency of geomechanical model of mine working based on computational and field studies

Purpose is to substantiate the efficiency of geomechanical model of the mine working on the basis of qualitative and quantitative parameters of stress and strain state of the mine working and to compare the results of computational experiment both with the results obtained while designing mine working support and with the results of field studies under mine conditions. Methods. The studies consisted of three stages. Stage one involved development of the computational model and, using a finite-element method (ANSYS Software Package), and performance of computational experiment for mining and geological conditions of MM “Pokrovske”. Stage two involved field measurements in the mine working with the support pattern developed according to the results of first stage of the research. Characteristic points were selected to determined separate stress and deformation components of a geomechanical system. Stage three dealt with comparative analysis of both computational and field experiments to define the efficiency of the selected computational model and the engineering solutions. Findings. The substantiated physical and mathematical model as well as geometry of computational region of the geomechanical system have made is possible to determine to a high precision stress and strain state of all the components of mine working support and neighbouring rock mass. Analysis of changes in mine working border, while calculating and full-scale measuring, has demonstrated high accuracy degree in description of deformation processes within the rock mass. Qualitative changes in stresses within the selected anchors, in the process of the stope plane movement, correspond in their appearance to the curves of graphs obtained as a result of calculations. Originality. For the first time, complex multicriteria approach has been proposed and applied to determine efficiency of the selected support scheme based on the measurements of mine working border displacement and internal effects of the support components; the approach makes it possible to evaluate adequacy of the selected computational scheme while predicting changes in the geomechanical system state. Practical implications. The developed innovative methodology to prove the efficiency of selecting optimal system for mine working support helps reduce design costs and cut production expenses while mounting and operating the support from a holistic perspective. Validation of the fact that calculated results of stress and strain state of a geomechanical system correspond to the data of field measurements in terms of various stress and deformation criteria provides the possibility of the computational model interpolation with respect to the mine workings driven and designed under similar mining and geological conditions.