Stability analysis and support requirements for haulage drift in the vicinity of mined stopes

In this study, combined empirical, numerical, and in-situ monitoring methods were combined to carry out stability analyses and support design for a haulage drift subjected to mining activity. The rock mass quality of the haulage drift was characterized by the RMR, Q, and GSI, and the rock mass properties were calculated. The support requirements for haulage drift during mining were determined by rock mass classification systems. RS2 was used to analyze the plastic zone and displacement of the haulage drift during mining. After the stope was mined, the surrounding rock exhibited a butterfly plastic zone with an asymmetric distribution, and the roof damage was most severe near the stope side. Overall, the haulage drift tended to move in the stope direction, which is consistent with engineering expectations. The support systems determined using the empirical method were analyzed using RS2 and UNWEDGE software. The maximum plastic zone depth of the roof decreased from 4.2 to 2.01 m, and the safety factor of the unstable wedge block increased from 0 to 10.2 after support. In-situ drilling detection shows that the failure depth of the haulage drift roof is 2.37 m. Therefore, a combination of empirical, numerical, and in-situ monitoring methods can be effective for quantitative stability assessments and support design optimization of haulage drifts in the vicinity of mined stopes.