Introduction to Underground Mines Stability
Stability of rock mass may be related to its “state of being in stable equilibrium” (Webster’s Dictionary). On the other hand, it express also behavior of rock mass in respect to the required level of safety, which may vary with the use of the construction, with regulations for working conditions and safety in different countries.
Generally, the term “mine stability/instability” is a relative term referring to the judgment of whether the mine workings are in a state of equilibrium or not. Based on classic engineering mechanics, this state is understood as a kind of the limit state and may be expressed quantitatively in static domain as a system of equations assuring that the structure is not moving in space and all external loads are balanced. Essentially, the limit state implies that “any small change in the equilibrium state of loading in a structure can provoke a sudden release of energy or large change in the geometry of the structure”...
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Pytel, W. (2016). Mine Stability. In: Tiess, G., Majumder, T., Cameron, P. (eds) Encyclopedia of Mineral and Energy Policy. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40871-7_23-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40871-7_23-1
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