SRK continues to be involved with new technologies in the field of geotechnical engineering and rock mechanics for underground and open pit mining.
Andy Thomas and the mining rock mechanics team is spearheading this effort and recently trialed a new underground rock mapping tool: Axis Mapper developed by Rock Mass Technologies Inc. Axis Mapper uses LiDAR to collect structural orientation measurements and produces stereonets in real time. The scan and accompanying high-resolution images can be annotated with mapping observations. Rock properties can also be recorded using the built-in and customisable RMR templates. Using Wi-Fi, the data can then be sent to surface and imported into geotechnical databases and standard industry software.
The trial found that the integration of data collection and visualization enhanced the quality of the mapping. The ability for real-time data transfer could also be particularly useful for rapidly and clearly communicating observations. It is a promising digital data collection system, and the SRK team plans to continue collaborating with Rock Mass Technologies as development of the tool advances.
SRKs rock mining group is also collaborating with Elexon Mining Pty Ltd, a Brisbane-based innovation company that is the main supplier of monitoring and tracking technology for caving mines. Elexon recently developed a new networked “smart marker ”platform called Geo4Sight for monitoring sub-surface deformation. Geo4Sight uses a mesh of battery-powered wireless markers which contain high-resolution sensors for measuring tilt and porewater pressure.
SRK recently conducted trials of Geo4Sight for open pit wall and subsidence monitoring applications. The trials found that the system enabled continuous collection of data long after traditional cabled instruments had failed. The ability to monitor larger displacements typical of these applications has provided greater insight into the failure mechanisms and their behaviour over time. More information on these trials can be found in the following papers:
Kamp C, Thomas A, Hamilton D & Davies A, 2020, ‘Smart technology for monitoring caving subsidence’, Proc. of MassMin2020, 9–11 December, online.
Beingessner T, Yost R, Steffen S, Whiteman D, Thomas AM, Royle M & Widzykcapehart E, 2020,‘Post-shearing data collection with enhanced network smart markers’, in PM Dight (ed.), Proc. of Slope Stability 2018, 10–13 April, Seville, Spain.
