LAUSR

AbstractMining backfill is widely used in underground mines worldwide. The stresses in backfilled stopes must be correctly evaluated because they influence the ground stability and the required strength of exposed (horizontally or vertically) cemented backfill. The stress estimation can be accomplished by numerical modeling with or without the use of interface elements between the backfill and rock walls. To date, most numerical models have been developed without the use of interface elements, and only a few have used interface elements with the same shear strength as the backfill. Stress changes resulting from the addition of interface elements or from the variations in the shear strength of interfaces have never been investigated. In this study, these aspects were analyzed with two-dimensional (2D) (plane-strain) numerical models. The stress changes resulting from the variation of the backfill’s shear strength were also analyzed. The results show that the stresses decreased as the interfaces’ shear stre...