Drilling Plan Design for Rock Cavern Excavation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drilling plans for rock cavern excavation often fail to accurately account for variations in rock properties, leading to inefficient excavation and increased costs due to deviations from the planned rock surface after blasting.

Innovation Solution

The method involves determining the location of drill hole ends, storing these locations, and analyzing the surface topography of the remaining rock after the first round blast to modify and optimize the drilling plan for subsequent rounds, taking into account the differences between planned and actual outcomes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a drilling plan is designed in advance based on known facts, then the excavation process can be planned and controlled, but the actual blast outcome deviates significantly from the planned design due to unknown rock properties

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of drilling planVSAvoidadaptability to actual rock conditions
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by determining hole end locations and measuring surface topography before the next round of drilling. This advance preparation allows the drilling plan to be modified based on actual conditions revealed by the previous blast, improving both reliability and adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by using the determined hole end locations and surface topography measurements from the first round to modify the drilling plan for subsequent rounds. This closed-loop approach allows continuous improvement of the drilling plan based on actual blast outcomes and rock conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If the drilling plan parameters are changed to improve pull-out, then excavation efficiency increases, but the complexity of plan design and optimization increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveexcavation efficiencyVSAvoiddrilling plan design complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes drilling plan parameters such as hole locations, orientations, and lengths based on determined hole end positions and surface topography. This data-driven parameter adjustment improves pull-out and excavation efficiency while the automated calculation methods help manage the complexity of these changes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-service by automatically determining hole end locations, calculating remaining rock volume, and generating modified drilling plans based on actual blast outcomes. This automation reduces the manual complexity involved in optimizing drilling parameters while improving productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If more accurate measurement of hole end locations and surface topography is performed, then the drilling plan can be better optimized, but the time and resources required for measurement increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of hole location and surface measurementVSAvoidtime for measurement and plan modification
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual mechanical measurement methods with automated determination of hole end locations and surface topography measurement. This substitution provides more precise measurements while reducing the time and labor required, as the measurements are integrated into the existing drilling and blasting operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP2721240B1Method and arrangement for designing drilling plan
Publication Date: 2019.01.23 SANDVIK MINING & CONSTR OY
  • EP2721240B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2721240B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4b
  • EP2721240B1 patent drawingFigure 5a~5d

AI summary

The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for designing a drilling plan (12) for rock cavern excavation. The method defines in advance for a round (26) to be drilled in a tunnel face at least the locations of drill holes (13) in a predetermined coordinate system, using the drilling plan created by means of a computer-assisted design program. The method determines pull-out of a round on the basis of the locations of the hole ends (36) and the topography (28) of the rock remaining after a round blast, and designs or modifies the drilling plan for a subsequent round on the basis of the thus determined pull-out.