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The Influence of Bolt Density on Welded Wire Mesh Performance

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Abstract

Rock reinforcement and surface support are typical components of ground support systems. Analytical design approaches tend to treat the ground support elements independently and do not explicitly consider the mechanical interaction between surface support and reinforcement. Empirical approaches consider their performance as a system, and do not provide guidance on the mechanical behaviour of the individual components. This paper focuses on gaining a better understanding of the reinforcement surface support interaction by combining the results from laboratory tests with advanced numerical modelling. A series of calibrated 3D distinct element method (DEM) models were constructed to emulate the mechanical behaviour of mesh in the laboratory. The developed 3D DEM models provided further insight into the impact of bolt spacing in diamond and square bolting patterns. Longer spacing between bolts provided a more ductile material response and lower load at initial wire failure. Modification to bolt spacing has a more significant influence on mesh displacement than load capacity. An increase in bolt spacing results in a substantially larger increase in the displacement when a square arrangement of bolts is used and a relatively larger load reduction when a diamond arrangement is used. Square patterns consistently provided a more ductile response with higher loading capacity at initial wire rupture than diamond patterns for the same bolt density. These results can be used in the design of rock bolting strategies under different ground conditions.

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All data used are clearly indicated in the manuscript.

Code Availability

The numerical code used is commercially available from Itasca.

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Acknowledgements

The financial support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada is acknowledged. At the beginning of this work, Dr. Jim Hazzard of Itasca Consulting Group, Inc. provided significant technical input, and his support is greatly acknowledged. The authors acknowledge the useful suggestions and input from Brad Simser of Glencore.

Funding

This research work was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université Laval, Pavilion Adrien-Pouliot, 1065, av. de la Médecine, Quebec City, Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada

    Efstratios Karampinos

  2. University of Toronto, Lassonde Mining Building 170 College Street MB119, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E3, Canada

    John Hadjigeorgiou

Authors
  1. Efstratios Karampinos
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  2. John Hadjigeorgiou
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Contributions

Gained a better understanding of the reinforcement surface support interaction by combining the results from laboratory tests with advanced numerical modelling. Variations in bolt density have a higher impact on the displacement than the applied load in the mesh at initial wire failure. Modifying the bolt density has a limited impact on the energy absorption of mesh in diamond bolting patterns but a significant effect in square bolting patterns. For the same bolt density, a square bolting pattern provides a more ductile response and an increased loading capacity and energy absorption than a diamond bolting pattern.

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Correspondence to John Hadjigeorgiou.

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Karampinos, E., Hadjigeorgiou, J. The Influence of Bolt Density on Welded Wire Mesh Performance. Geotech Geol Eng 40, 3711–3733 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-022-02127-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-022-02127-4

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