Services
Ground Support Design
Beck Engineering uses a multi-scale, discontinuum approach to improve the simulation reliability of ground support capacity and demand.
We design support systems for any application, and specialise in:
- High deformation and seismic loading environments
- Simulating realistic mining induced seismic sources, to evaluate the sufficiency of ground support standards for seismically active mines
- Static and dynamic validation of support standards. We simulate your support design in your ground conditions, using your mines expected mechanisms of loading and damage
- Virtual testing of any ground support system to destruction to validate static or dynamic capacity
- Estimation of dynamic ground support demand and validation of ground support design using SAFEX, developed by WASM.
About
How we work
At Beck Engineering we understand the importance of a well-engineered ground support system for a safe and cost-effective work environment.
To reliably simulate the ground support response, ground deformation must be captured accurately on the correct length scale.
Beck Engineering uses multi-scale multi-physics simulations as these are the most efficient approach for assessing a ground support system’s capacity and demand over a range of different environments.
This approach also enables the ground support system to be tested to failure, improving the understanding of the maximum capacity of the system. The Simulation Aided Engineering workflow allows clients to efficiently test different designs and sequences over a range of conditions. The result is a more accurate quantification of geotechnical performance.
Beck Engineering have been world leaders in physics-based rock mechanics simulations for over 15 years.
We have applied this methodology of ground support systems including rock bolts and cable bolts, mesh reinforced shotcrete, precast concrete liners and steel sets. This approach has been applied in excavations ranging from individual tunnels to complex excavations such as block cave extraction levels and crusher chambers.
Speak to one of our engineers about improving your understanding of the performance of your ground support system.
To properly simulate ground support response, the ground deformation in the surrounding rock mass must correctly represent the mechanisms of deformation.
Our approach
- Beck Engineering's own rock mechanics specific numerical framework LRx generates large scale, 3D Finite Element models.
- Our simulations use non-linear, strain softening, dilatant material models for each geotechnical domain.
- Faults are built explicitly to match the geotechnical structural interpretation. Slip, separation and accumulation of damage is realistically represented along faults.
- The full extraction history and planned mining sequence is built into the model.
- Sub-modelling can be applied for higher resolution in areas of particular interest.
- Direct calibration: Measured deformation and energy (seismicity) are directly compared to deformation and energy in the model.
- Full coupling with hydrological modelling Coupled cave flow simulator for forecasting the cave propagation and cave shape evolution.
A yielding system for extreme deformation. Yielding surface support beams are installed in the fibrecrete. The combination of the yielding surface support with yielding arches accommodates 750mm of wall to wall closure.
Case study 2
The scope of this project was to assess the performance of the existing and proposed ground support systems. The excavation shown is part of a much larger geometrically complex underground mining operation. This simulation assisted in determining the serviceability limits and life span of the excavation.
Case study 1
Simulation of a ground support system in highly seismic environment. This project investigated the performance of the ground support system when loaded by a nearfield seismic event. The ground support system is presented as individual elements of fibrecrete, steel tendons and mesh straps.
What you get
- Powerful, non-biased, physics based predictive tool for:
- Geotechnical Engineers
- Mining Engineers
- Geologists
- Manager
- Full 3D results database available for site engineers to use for ongoing confirmation, analysis and refinement of mine design
- Full transparency: We will assist you how to get the most out of the results, what information would improve the forecasts and work with you to continually improve your mine
- Quick turnaround time between iterations.
Figure 4: Simulation of closure within an extraction level drawpoint during cave
establishment
Figure 5: Rock mass demand given as out of balance pressure
Figure 6: Detailed analysis of the simulated failure quantifies ground support scheme performance
Figure 7: Detailed analysis of reinforced block