Reliability Analysis of Rock Supports in Underground Mine Drifts: A Case Study

Support failures in mine drifts represent potential hazards that threaten underground safety and productivity. The aim of this study is to determine the reliability index associated with rock supporting elements used Ridder-Sokolny mine, an located East Kazakhstan. Numerical simulations drift support First Order Reliability Method (FORM) were employed carry out analysis. Several cases considered including: shotcrete, bolting, concrete, bolting combined concrete unsupported case. For each case, Factors Safety (FS), (β) Probability Failure (PF) determined accordance corresponding mass quality excavation geometry. results indicate a slight variation average FS values for different (except shotcrete) while β PF vary more significantly between 0.62–3.25 0.05–27 (× 103%) factor depending on conditions installed support. probability failure increases decrease quality. Similar trends are observed increase width/height ratio excavations same domain. These illustrate single value obtained from deterministic method may not always provide sufficient indication safety. This agreement field observations which have indicated poor performance supports. Hence, basis supports, requirement terms coefficient variability meet target level proposed. It concluded could help improving design mine.