SUMMARYCurrently, only microseismicity is used as a proxy for stress near deep mines. However, most of the physical properties of crystalline rocks are highly stress dependent. As such, the nonlinear and anisotropic variability of the in situ P-and S-wave velocities can potentially be linked directly to changes in the stress field. At an in-mine seismic laboratory, multi-component sensor arrays are deployed in multiple locations (3D) allowing for both controlled source and passive recordings. Previous in-mine seismic observatories have experienced a number of challenges with regards to sensitivity and longevity. Hence, the geothermally cool but highly stressed Sudbury mining camp offers a favourable setting for fundamental research in to time-lapse monitoring of seismicity, stress, and stress dependent physical properties at a deep mine.
SUMMARYUnderstanding the propagation of seismic waves in a presence of very strong elastic contrasts, such as topography, tunnels and ore-bodies is still a challenge. Safety in mining is a major concern and seismic monitoring is the main tool here. For engineering purposes, amplitudes (peak particle velocity/ acceleration) and travel times of seismic events (mostly blasts or microseismic events) are critical parameters that have to be determined at various locations in a mine. These parameters are useful in preparing risk maps or to better understand the process of spatial and temporal stress distributions in a mine. Simple constant velocity models used for mine monitoring, cannot explain the observed complexities in scattered seismic waves. In hard-rock environments modelling of elastic seismic wavefield require detailed 3D petrophysical, infrastructure and topographical data to simulate the propagation of seismic wave with a frequencies up to few kilohertz. In this study, the effects of strong elastic contrasts on the propagation of broadband seismic waves will be illustrated using 2D/3D finite difference method.
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