Stability of Pillar and Drive Advances in Hard Rock Mine Through Numerical Modelling and Instrumentation

Rock support systems are used to maintain the stability of underground openings and reinforce disturbed rock masses after creating an excavation. This study, in turn, will help in the selection of an appropriate number of blasts in a drive, from where the support system is required to stop mitigation of the stressdeformation conditions around it. Here, two models have been built and simulated using the RS2D programme, i.e. first to optimize the pillar and gallery size for maximum safety and extraction ratio and second is evaluation by numerical modelling and validation with rock mechanics instruments to study on mining-induced stresses, factor of safety, and displacement around the drive with no rock support system for every blast advance. The interpretation of instrumentation data collected shows that drive stability suffers significantly, with no rock support after third blast in the second model and necessity of proper rock support system is confirmed and validated.