Geotechnical monitoring plays an important role in the detection of operational safety issues in the slopes of open pits. Currently, monitoring companies offer several solutions involving robust technologies that boast highly reliable data and the ability to control risky conditions. The monitoring data must be processed and analysed so as to allow the results to be used for several purposes, thereby providing information that can be used to manage operational actions and optimize mining plans or engineering projects. In this work we analysed monitoring data (pore pressure and displacement) and its correlation with the tension and displacement of the mass of an established failure slope calculated using the finite element method. To optimize the back-analysis, a Python language routine was developed using input data (point coordinates, parameter matrix, and critical section) to use software with the rock mass parameters (cohesion, friction angle, Young's modulus, and Poisson's ratio). For the back-analysis, the Mohr-Coulomb criterion was applied with the shear strength reduction technique to obtain the strength reduction factor. The results were consistent with both the measured displacements and the maximum deformation contours, revealing the possible failure mechanism, allowing the strength parameters to be calibrated according to the slope failure conditions, and providing information about the contribution of each variable (parameter) to the slope failure in the study area.
The use of recycled materials has experienced a growing global interest in the last decades. Products like natural fibers are being studied to replace synthetic fibers in some applications because they are renewable resources that have a lower cost. Fibers can be used as reinforcement for covers of landfill sites, landfilling over soft soils, and evapotranspiration covers. The use of coconut fibers represent an opportunity to reduce the environmental issue waste of this fruit in tropical countries. The main objective of this research is to evaluate the load-settlement behavior of non-reinforced and reinforced sand with coconut fibers using either a random or a layered distribution. In that sense, plate load tests with both non-reinforced and reinforced sand were performed fixing the moisture content and percentage of fibers for all tests. The results show that the greatest settlement reduction is obtained with layered distribution. Conversely, random distribution provides more ductility and, consequently, the mixture can resist a highest load than layered distribution.
It has historically been frequent among geotechnical practitioners, that the stability analysis of the slopes of an open pit is performed using a two dimensional section representing the highest and steepest walls within a certain geological setting. However, the literature shows that to predict rupture events in an open pit, a three-dimensional analysis would better represent the actual conditions, as the spatial distribution of the lithology and the structural features play an important role when defining the stability of the slopes. This paper presents the case study of an open it located in Brazil, which experienced instabilities between the years 2001-2019. An evaluation of the behavior of the open pit was performed by calibrating the strength parameters to represent the best documented rupture events. The three-dimensional model was made using the FLAC3D software. The results show that there is a good correlation between the results of the model and the reports of past instabilities. Finally, recommendations are presented for the 2 inter-ramp angles for each lithology based on the calibrated stability analyzes performed. This work seeks to contribute to the knowledge in evaluation techniques for the three-dimensional behavior of open pits.
Geotechnical monitoring systems are important for recording displacements on mining slopes with critical stability. Most systems that record displacements in the rock mass are superficial like prisms, radars and satellites, although displacements can also be monitored at depth as in inclinometers. The project aims to install an unprecedented vertical continuous monitoring system at a depth of 200 m on the east wall of the Tamanduá mine. To verify the repeatability of results, the system will be installed in two holes 150 m apart. The system has displacement, temperature and pore pressure sensors distributed mainly in the contact zones between friable and compact lithologies and a triaxial vibration sensor placed at the bottom of each hole to monitor possible blasting activities in the area or earthquakes in the region. The system will be self-sustaining with photovoltaic energy to power the data acquisition and transmission devices.The report describes in detail the location of the system, geological profile of the holes, location of the water table, characteristics and distribution of sensors, data acquisition and transmission devices and photovoltaic energy system.
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