Determination of the stress state prior to excavation in an underground slate mine using flat jack and numerical methods

Spain is a major producer of dimension stone, which is one of the most important industrial sectors in the northwest of Spain. This justifies the maintenance of these industries, although the technical and environmental requirements for their continuity are increasingly demanding. The main target of this paper is to present a new methodology in order to obtain k-ratio stress values on the basis of flat jack measurements and finite element numerical back-analysis with Rocscience((c)) RS2 software. Continuous iterations were performed to try to find a relationship between the k(0) and the measured stress in the tunnel roof and sidewalls. It focuses on technical aspects of the method for designing mine chambers in the slate industry that were previously mined by open pit methods. The size of the chambers impacts the operating cost, and the dimensioning of a correct support ensures better efficiency and safety. Correct knowledge of the k(0) therefore is critical for the design of the support. The proposed new method entails a simplification of the classical procedure for estimating the k-ratio.