Improving the Numerical Modelling of In-Situ Rock Bolts Using Axial and Bending Strain Data from Instrumented Bolts

Numerical modelling has become an important tool in the underground rock bolt reinforcement designing process. Numerical modelling provides the advantage of easily and quickly simulating complex underground geometries and mechanisms with sensitivity analyses. However, a numerical model needs to be calibrated using mathematical solutions, lab testing or with actual in-situ observations and measurements (which is the preferred method) before its results can be quantitatively applied to reinforcement design. Instrumented rock bolts provide a useful data source for calibrating in-situ rock bolt models. In this work, procedures have been presented to identify and determine the orientation of structures in the rock mass based on the strains on the instrumented rock bolts. A method to calibrate the rock bolt model with in-situ data is also presented. The results of the presented procedures have been validated with laboratory tests and numerical modelling. The procedures have been applied to create and calibrate an in-situ rock bolt model in FLAC3D and the results are validated using in-situ data.

Analysis of Reinforcement System (Rock Bolt and Shotcrete) Effect on The Pillars Strength in Underground Mining Using Physical Models Testing in Laboratory

The effects of reinforcement system on pillars were tested in laboratory, using three types of pillars with different strengths. The tests were performed using the UCS machine, to test pillar without reinforcement, pillar with rock bolt reinforcement, pillar with shotcrete reinforcement and pillar with the combination of both rock bolt and shotcrete reinforcement. Uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) testing aims to determine the effects of the reinforcement system on pillar strength. The results of this study indicate that the reinforcement system on high strength pillars causes a strength increase of 14.93% on pillar with rock bolt reinforcement, 21.45% on pillar with shotcrete reinforcement and 34.67% on pillar with combination of rock bolt and shotcrete reinforcement. On medium strength pillars, reinforcement installation shows a strength increase of 16.27% on pillar with reinforced rock bolt, 19.83% on pillar with reinforced shotcrete and 44.40% on pillar with combination of rock bolt and shotcrete reinforcement. Likewise, on low strength pillars, reinforcement installation causes a strength increase of 13.13% on pillar with reinforced rock bolt, 36.21% on pillar with reinforced shotcrete and 53.85% on pillar with combination of rock bolt and shotcrete reinforcement. The results of laboratory testing and numerical modeling indicate that the increase in strength occurs because the horizontal displacement on the surface of the pillar wall is detained by shotcrete and faceplate on rock bolt, so that the pillar seems to have confining pressure throughout the pillar wall surface, which is called as equivalent confining pressure.

Analysis of the Mechanical Characteristics of Bolts under Roof Separation Based on Exponential Function

With regard to the excavation of coal mine tunnels, the phenomenon of roof separation frequently occurs owing to the deformation of roadway surrounding rocks, and the analysis of the influence of surrounding rock separation on bolt reinforcement plays an indispensable role in the security of support engineering. In the present paper, the hyperbolic function model of bolt load transfer is simplified to the exponential function form, and the simplified distribution form is modified by error analysis. Drawing on the analytic model of elastoplastic mechanics of bolt load through separation, this paper further investigates the influence of separation development on bolt load and conducts the parametric analysis of the separation value and separation position. Finally, taking the separation effect into consideration in the anchorage design of coal mine, practical reference value has been attached to the supporting design of underground engineering in bedded rock mass.

Numerical Analysis of the Influence of Bolt Set on the Shear Resistance of Jointed Rock Masses

Bolt reinforcement is a standard reinforcement method for jointed rock masses. However, regarding rock anchoring, the mechanical characteristics of the joint surface, as well as the angle between the bolt and the joint sliding surface, are important factors that affect rock support. Therefore, to understand the influence of a set angle, length, normal load, and other conditions that affect the shear strength of bolt joints, this study uses numerical software to establish the shear sliding model of bolt rock masses and analyzes the influence of the setting conditions of the bolt on the shear strength of a bolt rock mass, which can be done by changing the setting method of the bolt and normal mechanical conditions of the sliding surface. The results show that the shear strength of the anchor joint is not affected after the anchor reaches a certain length. The angle of the anchor strongly influences the shear strength of the anchor joint, and the shear strength curve is V-shaped, where the anchor angle is less than 90°. Moreover, the shear strength curve indicates a downward trend when the anchor angle is greater than 90°, and the shear strength of the anchorage joint increases with the increase of the normal load. Under the same anchor length (4 cm) in the anchor angle and shear strength coordinate system, the shear strength curve of the single anchor is above the shear strength curve of the double anchor, which is exclusively in the local anchor angle section under the condition of a large normal load and a large anchor angle. The shear strength curve of the double anchor is above the shear strength curve of the single anchor.