The use of steel fibre reinforced shotcrete for the support of mine openings

What separates the support, of mining openings from the support of similar civil engineering structures is the fact that mine openings have to survive large deformations as a result of changing stress conditions induced by progressive mining. Steel fibres impart to concrete and shotcrete a high degree bf ductility which not only allows the shotcrete and concrete linings to absorb important rock movements but also to increase its bearing capacity by a redistribution of the loads. A range of applications will be discussed technically and economically.