Stability of an Underground Limestone Mine

R. Haemers[1], F. Broekkamp[1], H. van Halewijn[1]
[1]Fontys University of Applied Physics, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Published in 2013

The hills of South-Limburg, the Netherlands, are crisscrossed with underground limestone mines. These "caves" are not equally stable, and can be dangerous. With COMSOL Multiphysics® a stability assessment has been made. The first study examines the full stress and displacement profile without excavation. In a second study the domains of the corridors are excluded, to represent the excavation activities during time. A complete and mesh intensive 3D model, with dimensions of 1110 x 580 x 31.5 m3 , simulates the stress variation and displacement in the pillars and roof caused by the excavation of the mines during time. The simulation results in the exact location of the stress and displacements of the limestone.