Restoration of opencast coal sites frequently involves the controlled compaction of heterogeneous arisings, and accurate prediction of the settlements associated with such backfill is difficult. Attention has previously focussed on improving the specifications used to control backfilling as a way of both reducing the magnitude of the settlements and improving their predictability. However, there still exists a large degree of uncertainty about the fundamental particulate interactions that occur within a fill. The range of mechanisms previously considered to be influential on creep behaviour is described.
A current research programme is investigating the use of X-ray computer tomography (CT) as a means of nondestructively observing particle interactions during settlement, in conjunction with both long-term creep tests and short-term compressibility tests. The principles of this radiographic technique, which is relatively new to geotechnical engineering, are described, and findings are presented that illustrate the potential of the method.
Interim findings indicate that large particles are distributed on an apparently random basis within a fill, and the nonuniform distribution of voids is clearly demonstrated. Moreover, the results presented conflict to some degree with the general consensus of opinion that particle crushing is a major mechanism in the settlement process. Rather, local collapse into small voids left by compaction, and relative sliding and rotation of particles, seem to be the dominant factors for a range of compaction efforts. Particle splitting is discernible on some sections, but this mechanism appears to be less significant than others. Research is continuing into the time dependency of the observed mechanisms, the effects of moisture content changes and the effects of heterogeneous initial particle strengths. 相似文献
Due to the large-scale sub-level caving in Malmberget mine and the short distance between the mine and Malmberget town, the ground vibrations in the town have reached a high level since the year 2001 when large scale caving mining started. In order to control and reduce the high vibrations, LKAB launched a research project on active reduction of vibrations in Malmberget by using the wave interference or wave superposition method with electronic detonators. By means of this method, the vertical vibrations were reduced by 10% and the total vibration time for a ring blast was reduced by 80% according to five ring tests in the mine. For a further reduction of the vibrations, a second method, named changing initiation sequence in ring blasts, was developed on the basis of stress wave theory and the geographic conditions of the town and the mine. The second method has so far been applied in all of the drifts near the town, and the vibrations measured at the town show that the vertical vibrations caused by production blasts in the mine have been reduced by more than 31% on average. In addition, a third method, dividing a ring into two parts during blasting, was developed and used to reduce the ground vibrations from a number of very large rings in the mine. The results indicate that the vibrations have been reduced by more than 33%, and a more interesting and surprising result is that ore extraction has been increased by the third method. 相似文献
