A fast algorithm of the shear-compression damage model for the simulation of block caving

Abstract: For underground mine, the current usual technique for ore extraction is block caving, which generates and induces seismic activity in the mine. To understand block caving method is one of the most challenging problems in underground mining. This method relies on gravity to break and transport large amounts of ore and waste. The state of art in damage models is not able to represent the real effect of the mining in the rock mass since for example the damage appears in the bottom of the domain under consideration and with this is not possible recover the subsidence sees in the mine. In this paper we present the analysis and implementation of the shear-compression damage model applied to underground mining proposed in (Bonnetier et al. 2020). We propose a fast algorithm based in the usual alternated algorithm used in gradient damage models (Marigo et al. 2016) and show that this new algorithm is faster than the usual algorithm. We show some numerical tests in 3D and present interested simulations for different damage laws producing realistic damage behavior.