Crush pillar support - designing for controlled pillar failure
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Date
Authors
Du Plessis, M.
Malan, D.F. (Daniel Francois)
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
Abstract
The aim of any mine design is to ensure that the excavations remain stable
for the period they will be in use. Various pillar systems are used to ensure
that underground stopes remain stable and that mining activities do not
affect the surface infrastructure through either surface subsidence or
seismicity.
Intermediate-depth platinum mines make use of in-stope pillars
designed to fail while the pillars are being cut at the mining face. The pillar
stress exceeds the loading capacity and the pillars crush as a result.
The aim of the paper is to provide an overview of in-stope crush
pillars. This will include the application, behaviour, function, mechanism,
impact, and design of a crush pillar system.
Description
This paper
was first presented at the, Platinum Conference
2014, 20–24 October 2014, Sun City South Africa.
The work described in this paper forms part of the PhD study of Michael du Plessis at the University of Pretoria.
The work described in this paper forms part of the PhD study of Michael du Plessis at the University of Pretoria.
Keywords
Crush pillars, Controlled failure, Limit equilibrium model, Pillar layout
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Du Plessis, M & Malan, DF 2015, 'Crush pillar support - designing for controlled pillar failure', Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, vol. 115, pp. 481-488.