Rock support in strainburst-prone ground
Abstract Strainburst is the most frequently encountered type of rockburst in underground mines. Strainburst occurs when the stress near the excavation boundary reaches the peak strength of the rock mass causing it to fail suddenly and violently. To mitigate strainburst damage risk, effective rock support is needed. In strainburst-prone grounds, it is critical to have rock support components to fulfill the role of rock reinforcement first to prevent rock failure. On the other hand, well-retained and reinforced rock masses may be excessively deformed and fail violently. In such a case, yielding elements are needed in the rock support system to absorb the excess strain energy released due to rock failure. The conventional method to support strainburst-prone grounds is to install rock reinforcement system using rebar and mesh first and then install yielding support system using dynamic rockbolts at a later stage. This two-stage rock support installation process is not effective because it can adversely impact mine production schedule. This paper presents a new, patented dynamic rockbolt, which is called superbolt and is developed for rock support in burst-prone grounds. Laboratory testing confirmed that the superbolt has superb capacity to achieve the goal of reinforcing and holding rock masses. The superbolt is characterized by high dynamic energy absorption capacity, consistent performance, and the ability to withstand repeated dynamic loading. The new rockbolt can be used in a one-pass rock support system to facilitate rapid drift development in underground mines and increase mine safety and productivity.