Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

This research proposal focuses on determining the deformation and strength behaviour of rebar bolts, fully bonded to the rock with epoxy resin. These resin grouted bolts provide support for drift backs in potash mines, which can deform under a combination of shear and dilational movement along clay seams. The load that is induced on rebar bolts due to shear deformation varies with the magnitude of both shear and dilational movement. The resistance to shearing, provided by the adjacent rock mass, also influences the load on the installed support.This research consists of a laboratory component, field testing component as well as a field monitoring component designed to measure the response of rebar to shear loading and deformation. Successful completion of the work depends upon detailed measurements on the behaviour of the grouted rebar under load. To obtain these measurements, a combination of proven and experimental approaches will be used to measure the rebar load response to a shearing deformation using both strain gauges and fibre-optic cable bonded to the rebar. The successful completion of this research will provide the mine engineer with guidelines to relate observed field deformations with support loads, which will assist in the design of effective ground support.