Abstract:
Rockfalls poses risk to mining operations, from both an economic and safety standpoint, as the number of people killed from rockfall related occurrences is of the same order as people killed by other forms of slope instabilities. Rockfall characterization and mitigation in operational or high-risk zones within a mine are therefore crucial. Site-specific rockfall modelling using accurately georeferenced pit slope scenes and associated rock fragments using photogrammetric techniques, and calibrated with real world induced rockfall scenarios, allows for accurate calibration of the associated modelling parameters.
These allow for site-specific and risk-based modelling, including that of mitigation measures, for example single or multiple rockfall arrest berms. Although mines can control exposure to rockfall through active monitoring systems, they are unable to predict and alarm for potential rockfall risks associated with as built mine design profiles.
The slope-specific calibrated model ensures accurate prediction of rockfall traces and attenuation, and associated translational energy allowing for accurate design of mitigation systems. This paper provides a case study detailing the methodology in data acquisition through to processing and analyses, and concludes with recommendations for future development.
