A study of the effect of pillar shape on pillar strength
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17159/Abstract
Pillar strength is affected by the cross-sectional shape of the pillar, but this has mostly been ignored in past research studies. Bord and pillar layouts are typically designed using empirical strength equations developed for square pillars. Owing to the poor quality of pillar cutting, many hard rock pillars have an irregular shape and it is not clear how this affects pillar strength. Furthermore, the strength of rectangular pillars versus square pillars is also difficult to quantify. The “perimeter rule” is widely adopted for rectangular pillars, but its applicability for pillar with irregular shapes has never been tested. Numerical modelling was used in this study to investigate the effect of pillar shape on strength. An analytical limit equilibrium model of a square and a strip pillar also provided useful insights. The study found that the perimeter rule should not be used for irregularly-shaped pillars. Displacement discontinuity modelling, using a limit equilibrium model, is proposed as an alternative to determine the strength of these pillars.
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