Determination of the Caving Zone Height using Numerical and Physical Modeling based on the Undercutting Method, Joint Dip, and Spacing

The paper presents the effect of the dip of joints, joint spacing, and the undercutting method on the height of the caving in block caving. The obtained results show that among the three investigated parameters, respectively, the dip of joints, undercutting method, and joint spacing have the greatest effect on increasing the height of the caving zone. Comparing the data obtained from physical and numerical modeling shows a ۹۷% match. Also, by increasing the joint spacing from ۴ to ۶ cm, ۱۴%, from ۶ to ۸ cm, about ۳۵%, and from ۸ to ۱۰, about ۵۰%, the height of the caving zone has decreased. Regarding the dip of the joint, with the dip increasing from ۳۰ to ۴۵ degrees, about ۳% of the caving height decreases. By increasing the dip of the joint from ۴۵ to ۶۰ degrees, the caving height has decreased by ۴۲%. By increasing this value from ۶۰ to ۷۵ degrees, the caving height has increased by ۵۰%. Also, changing the undercutting method from symmetric to advanced undercutting has increased the caving height by ۴۰%. Additionally, three mathematical models have been proposed based on the shape of the caving zone in physical modeling.

Keywords:

Block caving , Physical Modeling , Numerical Modeling , base friction table , height of caving zone