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很深的地方(1.5千米)开采。近年来，随着矿业公司对深部矿体的追求，地下矿山的安全经济设计变得越来越重要。在深部开采中，由于高应力条件下的复杂和意外的岩石行为，如岩爆和地面挤压，产生了许多地质力学挑战。在这方面，加拿大自然资源公司最近将深部采矿确定为主要采矿研究领域之一，目的是为采矿业建立新的清洁技术途径。*申请者申请资金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。该设备是一种基于同步定位和测绘(SLAM)算法的便携式移动3D激光扫描仪。目前，该系统的应用主要集中在地表结构监测和地下洞室探测等方面。因此，在光线、空间和时间往往有限的活跃地下采矿环境中，如何有效地部署这项技术存在知识缺口。拟建的激光扫描仪将用作手持设备，在走近隧道工作面和矿柱壁时扫描它们。扫描仪的速度和便携性便于重复进行挖掘调查，而不会对采矿作业造成任何中断。具体的研究应用包括监测矿柱围岩的变形，确定破坏带的形状和程度，表征不连续面，以及改进地面支架设计方法。激光扫描的结果将被集成到先进的地质力学软件中，以提高我们对采矿活动期间发生的应力破裂过程以及随之而来的挖掘边界附近的渐进强度退化、变形和膨胀行为的了解。*在Dalhousie大学的实验室环境中测试该系统后，将在新斯科舍省的当地矿山和地下测试设施(例如，萨德伯里的NORCAT培训中心)启动现场研究，然后将其部署到正在开采的深部矿山。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员(HQP)和向采矿业传授知识提供极好的机会。此外，HQP将学习如何在工作矿井内有效地进行研究，这将使他们为未来担任采矿、地面控制和岩土工程师的角色做好准备。

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.**