Analysis of caving behaviour using a synthetic rock mass — ubiquitous joint rock mass modelling technique

Traditional approaches to cave analysis do not provide a means for the robust examination of how key inputs such as fracture orientation and fracture persistence impact rock mass strength and its response to caving. A ubiquitous jointed rock mass (UJRM) technique has been developed to represent rock mass strength anisotropy and scale effects within FLAC3D, as determined from synthetic rock mass (SRM) testing. The development of a UJRM within large-scale numerical simulations of caving show that variations in joint orientation have a significant effect on the evolving cave shape and the rate of cave propagation. The UJRM technique has been applied to a back analysis of caving and the associated pit slope failure mechanism at the Palabora mine in South Africa.