A Portable Mobile 3D Laser Scanning System for Deep Mining Geomechanics Research

全球对矿物需求的增加需要从深海（1.5公里左右）开采。近年来，随着矿山企业对矿体深度的追求，地下矿山的安全性和经济性设计变得越来越重要。由于高应力条件下岩石的复杂和意外行为，如岩爆和地面挤压，给深部开采带来了许多地质力学方面的挑战。在这方面，加拿大自然资源部最近确定深层采矿为关键的采矿研究领域之一，目的是为采矿业建立新的清洁技术途径。***申请人要求拨款购买最先进的遥感系统，以解决与深部采矿有关的关键地质力学问题。提出的设备是一种便携式移动3D激光扫描仪，基于同步定位和映射（SLAM）算法。该系统目前的应用主要涉及地表结构监测和地下空腔剖面。因此，在光线、空间和时间往往有限的活跃地下采矿环境中，如何有效地部署该技术存在知识缺口。拟议的激光扫描仪将用作手持式设备，在靠近隧道时扫描隧道表面和柱壁。扫描仪的速度和便携性便于对挖掘进行重复调查，而不会对矿山作业造成任何中断。具体的研究应用包括监测柱壁变形，识别破坏区的形状和范围，表征不连续面和改进地面支护设计方法。激光扫描的结果将集成到先进的地质力学软件中，以提高我们对采矿活动中发生的应力破裂过程的理解，以及随之而来的开挖边界附近的强度逐渐退化、变形和膨胀行为。***在达尔豪斯大学的实验室环境中对该系统进行测试后，将在新斯科舍省的当地矿山和地下测试设施（例如，安大略省萨德伯里的NORCAT培训中心）开始实地研究，然后将其部署在活跃的深部矿山。最先进的激光扫描系统和地质力学软件将为培训高素质人才（HQP）和向采矿业转移知识提供极好的机会。此外，HQP将学习如何有效地在工作矿山中进行研究，这将为他们未来担任采矿、地面控制和岩土工程师做好准备

An increase in global demand for minerals requires extraction from great depths (> 1.5 km). In recent years, as mining companies pursue deeper orebodies, the safe and economic design of underground mines has become increasingly important. There are many geomechanics challenges with respect to deep mining arising from complex and unexpected rock behavior due to high stress conditions, such as rock burst and ground squeezing. In this respect, Natural Resources Canada has recently identified deep mining as one of the key mining research areas with an objective to build new clean technology pathways for the mining industry.***The applicant requests funds to purchase a state-of-the-art remote sensing system to address key geomechanics questions associated with deep mining. The proposed equipment is a portable mobile 3D laser scanner that is based on the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm. Current applications of this system are mostly related to monitoring surface structures and profiling underground cavities. Therefore, there is a knowledge gap concerning how to effectively deploy this technology in active underground mining environments, where light, space and time are often limited. The proposed laser scanner will be used as a handheld unit for scanning tunnel faces and pillar walls while walking near them. The speed and portability of the scanner facilitate repeated surveys of excavations, without causing any interruptions to the mine operations. The specific research applications include monitoring deformation of pillar walls, identifying the shape and extent of failed zones, characterizing discontinuities and improving ground support design methodologies. The results of laser scanning will be integrated into advanced geomechanics software to improve our understanding of stress fracturing processes that occur during mining activities and the consequent progressive strength degradation, deformation and bulking behavior near the excavation boundaries.***After testing this system in a laboratory setting at Dalhousie University, field research will be initiated at local mines in Nova Scotia and underground test facilities (e.g., NORCAT training centre in Sudbury, ON) before it will be deployed in active deep mines. The start-of-the-art laser scanning system and geomechanics software will provide excellent opportunities for the training of Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) and for knowledge transfer to the mining industry. Moreover, HQP will learn how to effectively carry out research within a working mine, which will prepare them for their future roles as mining, ground control and geotechnical engineers.**