Haulage drifts are the primary access to the mining blocks of an ore body in a multi-level mining system of a tabular ore deposit. Drift instability could lead to serious consequences such as injuries, production delays and higher operational cost. Rockmass properties are significant geotechnical design input parameters. These parameters are never known precisely and always uncertainties associated with them.
The stability of the haulage drift is examined through parametric study of a nonlinear, elastoplastic, two-dimensional finite element model representing typical mining layout most commonly adopted in Canadian underground metal mines. The parametric study examines the influence of footwall rockmass geomechanical properties (e.g., cohesion, friction angle, dilation angle and Young’s Modulus) and the mining depth (e.g., horizontal-to-vertical stress ratio). Stability indicators are defined in terms of displacement, stress and the extent of yield zones, which adopt as a basis for assessing the effect of different parameter on the stability of haulage drift.