The secret to streamlined scheduling of mining and civil engineering projects is a solid understanding of the basic concepts of rock cutting mechanics. Comparing theoretical values with experimental and real-world results, Mechanical Excavation in Mining and Civil Industries thoroughly explains various rock cutting theories developed for chisel, conical, disc, and button cutters. The authors provide numerical examples on the effect of independent variables on dependent variables, as well as numerical and solved examples from real-life mining and civil engineering projects using equipment such as: Hard- and soft-ground tunnel boring machines (TBMs) Roadheaders Shearers Ploughs Chain saws Raise borers Impact hammers Large-diameter drill rigs Microtunnel boring machines This book assists students and practicing engineers in selecting the most appropriate machinery for a specific job and predicting machine performance to ensure efficient extraction, and offers background information on rock cutting mechanics and different mechanical miners.

The safe and economical construction of tunnels, mines, and other subterranean works depends on the correct choice of support systems to ensure that the excavations are stable. These support systems should be matched to the characterstics of the rock mass and the excavation techniques adopted. Establishing the support requirements, designing support systems and installing these correctly are essential elements in safe underground construction. This is a comprehensive and practical work which also gives access to user-friendly computer programmes which enable the investigation and design of support techniques. Details on how to obtain this software are also included in the book.

Significant advances have been made in non-explosive rock breaking techniques in the past two decades. This monograph focuses specifically on environmental-friendly rock excavating using chemical, thermal, hydraulic, electric and hybrid systems. It presents a comprehensive overview of the theoretical concepts and state-of-the-art practical developments based on these emerging techniques.

This book focusses on rock indentation and importance of specific drilling/cutting energy as a performance indicator for drilling/rock cutting. It aids in designing of drill bit and cutting pick, through performance evaluation for a given geometry. It further covers stress distribution along three axes in rock during load application, correlation of specific energy with properties of rocks and statistical modeling to generate mathematical equation to estimate the specific energy indentation, including performance prediction by artificial neural network modeling. Presented models can be used to assess the specific energy in rock indentation from the physic-mechanical properties of rocks. Presents synthesis of rock indentation experiments and analyses. Deals with statistical modeling to generate mathematical equations to estimate the specific energy indentation from the rock parameters/properties. Discusses how to find the performance of drill and cutting bits during drilling or cutting operations through indentation test. Covers numerical modeling to explain stress distribution in rock during rock indentation. Includes artificial neural network concepts used in field of rock mechanics. This book is aimed at researchers and graduate students in mining/geological engineering, mechanical engineering.

The secret to streamlined project scheduling is a solid understanding of basic rock cutting mechanics. Comparing theoretical values with experimental and real-world results, Mechanical Excavation in Mining and Civil Industries explains rock cutting theories for chisel, conical, disc, and button cutters. The authors provide numerical examples on the effect of independent variables on dependent variables, as well as examples from real-life mining and civil engineering jobs. The book assists students and engineers in machinery selection and performance prediction, and discusses rock cutting mechanics and mechanical miners.

This new edition has been completely revised to reflect the notable innovations in mining engineering and the remarkable developments in the science of rock mechanics and the practice of rock angineering taht have taken place over the last two decades. Although "Rock Mechanics for Underground Mining" addresses many of the rock mechanics issues that arise in underground mining engineering, it is not a text exclusively for mining applications. Based on extensive professional research and teaching experience, this book will provide an authoratative and comprehensive text for final year undergraduates and commencing postgraduate stydents. For profesional practitioners, not only will it be of interests to mining and geological engineers, but also to civil engineers, structural mining geologists and geophysicists as a standard work for professional reference purposes.

Surface and Underground Excavations – Methods, Techniques and Equipment (2nd edition) covers the latest technologies and developments in the excavation arena at any locale: surface or underground. In the first few chapters, unit operations are discussed and subsequently, excavation techniques are described for various operations: tunnelling, drifting, raising, sinking, stoping, quarrying, surface mining, liquidation and mass blasting as well as construction of large subsurface excavations such as caverns and underground chambers. The design, planning and development of excavations are treated in a separate chapter. Especially featured are methodologies to select stoping methods through incremental analysis. Furthermore, this edition encompasses comprehensive sections on mining at ‘ultra depths’, mining difficult deposits using non-conventional technologies, mineral inventory evaluation (ore – reserves estimation) and mine closure. Concerns over Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), environment and loss prevention, and sustainable development are also addressed in advocating a solution to succeed within a scenario of global competition and recession. This expanded second edition has been wholly revised, brought fully up-to-date and includes (wherever feasible) the latest trends and best practices, case studies, global surveys and toolkits as well as questions at the end of each chapter. This volume will now be even more appealing to students in earth sciences, geology, and in civil, mining and construction engineering, to practicing engineers and professionals in these disciplines as well as to all with a general or professional interest in surface and underground excavations.