Abstract
Slopes are a crucial structure in open pit mines. Their design has implications on the economic, safety and environmental operation of the mining industry. Designing stable slopes can be challenging due to the complexities introduced by the stratigraphy and hydrology of the strata. With rising commodity costs and inflation rates, mining operating costs are increasing. Reducing operational costs is necessary for mining industries to remain competitive. While steepening the pit slope can decrease stripping materials and save money, it also increases the risk associated with slope surges. Therefore, optimizing slopes is crucial for both financial and safety reasons. Numerical models such as the finite element method experience challenges in mesh generation of heterogeneous systems characterized by varying material properties and stratigraphies. Moreover, the need for repetitive geometry update necessitates recursive mesh regeneration that increases the computational burden. Moreover, previous slope optimization studies focus solely on dry conditions. To consider the complex condition of hydrology along with heterogeneity in the soil stratigraphy, this study develops an optimization procedure by combining the particle swarm optimization algorithm and the scaled boundary finite element with an image-based meshing technique to optimize slopes with groundwater and achieve the desired factor of safety (FoS). The method changes the slope design parameters and the phreatic surface of groundwater simultaneously, considering user-defined parameters while iteratively re-meshing the optimization processes. Several cases are presented, demonstrating the optimization of bench width, bench angle, backfill parameters, and groundwater pumping levels.
Recommended Citation
D. R. Wijesinghe et al., "Optimisation of Open Pit Slope Design Considering Groundwater Effects using Particle Swarm Optimisation and Scaled Boundary Finite Element Method," Engineering Analysis with Boundary Elements, vol. 169, article no. 105976, Elsevier, Dec 2024.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enganabound.2024.105976
Department(s)
Mining Engineering
Publication Status
Open Access
Keywords and Phrases
Groundwater; Particle swarm optimisation; Scaled boundary finite element method; Slope optimisation; Slope stability
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
0955-7997
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2024 Elsevier, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Dec 2024
