Mining-induced subsidence is an inevitable consequence of many different mining methods.
During 2004, Itasca Engineers have applied FLAC3D to both calibrate observed surface subsidence from an abandoned underground mine and to predict surface subsidence resulting from a proposed new underground mine.
Traditionally, empirical methods have been used to assess the limits of subsidence from underground mining. However, these methods are restricted to simplified, regular mining geometries, and often are limited to a particular mining region.
New facilities under development in FLAC3D allow easy mesh construction of surface topography and irregular underground mining geometries. Full access to the individual strain components within the FISH programming language allows the user to calculate the major horizontal strain and angular distortion resulting from subsidence. This allows assessment of the potential damage to surface infrastructure resulting from nearby mining.
The figure below illustrates topography (left) and vertical displacement on the surface (right) above an elongated tabular orebody (shown in outline on both sides).
UDEC Version 4.0 is available now. The code's offical release was Dec. 15, 2004. If you have purchased the code or pre-purchased this version of the code (as a pre-release), you should have received your package or be receiving it shortly.
PFC2D Version 3.1 will be released officially on January 15, 2005. Shipping will begin at that time to those who have purchased or pre-purchased (as a prerelease) this version. We expect the code to arrive to users by the end of January or sometime shortly thereafter.
