A Real-time Geosensing Network for Spatial Modeling of Rockburst Fields in a Deep Hard Rock Environment

A rockburst is a violent failure of a mine opening and is usually associated with deep mining operations. The objective of this research is to detect and reduce rockburst hazards by studying seismic energy release, geostructural data including mine opening closure rates, and in situ stress measurements. Little progress has been made in determining mechanisms of rockbursts, but improved methods of support have been developed that can prevent damage from minor events and materially reduce the intensity of damage caused by larger events. If deep mining is to continue, a better understanding of the failure mechanism is necessary, particularly in respect to the interaction between mininginduced stresses and the tectonic environment. This research will study seismic events and deformation around active mine openings to forecast and model the change in stress and seismic levels over time to aid our understanding of the mechanisms of rockbursting. Parallel investigations into a promising new technique for determining subsurface stresses using a down-hole orbital vibrator (DHOV) will also be made. Within the mining industry, prediction of rockburst potential and the elastic parameters that control it affect: 1) cost and efficiency of production by increase of overall energy used or volume of waste material mined; 2) resource characterization in terms of how the rock volume will behave relative to its elastic anisotropy and, ultimately, its mineability, and; 3) safe extraction in terms of knowing the potential of rockbursts in an area to be mined.