The purpose of Ground Control Monitoring and Management is to extend the life and lower the lifecycles costs associated with excavations. The ground movement data obtained from the DETECT product line provides an objective input to management decision making on issues such as:
Objective
evaluation of mining methods and mining sequences
Verification of design performance by comparison with numerical models
Effect of
seismic events on “health” of excavations
Re-entry
into an excavation following mining or a catastrophic event
Targeted rehabilitation of excavations (e.g. bolt rehabilitation, shotcrete application)
Pillar design and performance through monitoring strain and load
In many mining situations (as opposed to civil engineering) it is often not technically possible or cost effective to design an excavation that can be guaranteed to remain stable during it’s required lifecycle. Rather during an excavation’s lifecycle, as mining progresses, in certain targeted areas it may be necessary to “proactively” manage the excavation to ensure that it’s structural condition does not render it unsafe. During it’s lifecycle the “health” of the excavation is the primary determinant of it’s functionality, and in particular the risk to personnel and equipment using it. Monitoring data provides engineering staff and consultants with an “objective” map of structural condition on which effective decision-making can be based. It also facilitates management/owner review.