JRMGE / Vol 16 / Issue 12

Article

A novel V-cut method for explosive-free breakage of biaxially loaded rock using soundless chemical demolition agents

Tuo Chen, Isaac Vennes, Hani S. Mitri

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Department of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill University, 3450 University Street, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0E8, Canada


2024, 16(12): 4866-4877. doi:10.1016/j.jrmge.2023.12.014


Received: 2023-09-05 / Revised: 2023-11-19 / Accepted: 2023-12-31 / Available online: 2024-03-19

2024, 16(12): 4866-4877.

doi:10.1016/j.jrmge.2023.12.014


Received: 2023-09-05

Revised: 2023-11-19

Accepted: 2023-12-31

Available online: 2024-03-19


Abstract:

Interest in soundless chemical demolition agents (SCDAs), also known as expansive cements, as potentially viable alternatives to explosives for rock fragmentation, has been growing in recent years. Consequently, there is an increasing amount of literature on the use of SCDA for the breakage of rock blocks and boulders. Limited research has been conducted so far on the breakage of excavation fronts, such as tunnel or drift faces, using SCDA. This is due to the perception that the planar compressive in-situ stresses in the face would inhibit the creation and propagation of fracturing due to expansive pressure. This study proposes a novel V-cut method for demolishing rock panels under biaxial stress using SCDA. This method was examined through large-scale tests and numerical modelling. The rock panels were subjected to high biaxial confinements of 26 MPa and 40 MPa. Such a level of confinement corresponds to an in-situ stress state 1000 m below the surface in the Canadian shield. The V-cut drillhole pattern employs two sets of three SCDA holes angled at 45° from the face of a Stanstead granite panel. The drillhole arrangement aims to create a V-shaped wedge in the plane of major principal stress. When angled drillholes are subjected to expansive pressure, they tend to cast out of the panel face, causing fragmentation. Two panels of 1 m × 1 m × 0.25 m were successfully demolished using the proposed method. The three-dimensional fast Lagrangian analysis code FLAC3D modelling was used to reconstruct the panel failure mechanism owing to the V-cut. This study demonstrates the feasibility of fragmenting an excavation front, such as a rock excavation face, with SCDA using a V-cut drill hole pattern while subjected to high biaxial confinement.

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Keywords: Explosive-free rock fracturing, Rock face excavation, Biaxial confinements, Expansive cement, Wedge cut, Numerical modelling, Drift advance

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Tuo Chen, Isaac Vennes, Hani S. Mitri, 2024. A novel V-cut method for explosive-free breakage of biaxially loaded rock using soundless chemical demolition agents. J. Rock Mech. Geotech. Eng. 16 (12), 4866-4877.

Author(s) Information

Tuo Chen

✉️ tuo.chen@mail.mcgill.ca

Dr. Chen holds a bachelor's degree in Geological Engineering from Chengdu University of Technology, and he obtained M.Eng. and Ph.D. degrees in Mining Engineering from McGill University, Canada. He currently serves as a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Mining and Materials Engineering at McGill. Dr. Chen has dedicated his career to exploring scientific and industrial challenges within the realms of mining rock mechanics and sustainable mining. Over the years, Dr. Chen has actively engaged with a variety of mining companies, including Newmont, Alamos Gold, Kinross Gold, Wudong Coal Mine, and more. His expertise lies in multiple areas, with a focus on sustainable explosive-free rock fracturing methods, mining-induced seismicity, multi-scale advanced modeling, and the strategic design of sill pillars and crown pillars in underground mines.