Technical Talk
Cave-scale Mine Modeling Challenges and a New 3D-FDEM Modeling Concept
Tuesday, June 10, 2025, 3:45 PM - 5:15 PM (Mining Track, Coal Mine Rock Mechanics Session)
Abstract
In cave mine modeling, it is essential to consider the evolution of rock mass from continuum to discontinuum and from interlock to disintegration. The hybrid finite-discrete element method (FDEM) presents a valuable framework for investigating the rock fracturing process, from laboratory scale to rock mass and cave scales. With advancements in graphics processing unit (GPU) technology, a 3D FDEM approach offers the potential for practical, large-scale cave mine modeling, overcoming previous computational limitations and providing new insights into caveability, fragmentation, and preconditioning processes.
This paper presents a workflow for 3D cave-scale FDEM modeling, incorporating laboratory-derived parameters upscaled to field conditions using field mapping data. Finally, a conceptual 3D FDEM model with over twelve million elements was developed to simulate cave mining processes that are challenging to capture using conventional continuum- or discontinuum-based approaches.
