Curtin University of Technology WA School of Mines postgraduate student John Player is an example of how the University\u2019s students are provided with the chance to perform groundbreaking research.<\/p>\n
The 38-year-old returned to university to update his skills after working in the mining industry for several years.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou never stop learning, no matter how long you\u2019ve been in the workforce,\u201d Mr Player said.<\/p>\n
After completing his Master of Geotechnical Engineering in 2004, Mr Player started a PhD involving a million dollar research project testing support systems for underground mines under the direction of Professor Ernesto Villaescusa, Chair of Rock Mechanics.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mr Player said his study at WASM had been well worth the extra effort.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know that the work I\u2019ve done at WASM is changing how engineers in the industry design and specify ground support,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough our research, we\u2019ve seen that the previously accepted empirical views for designing ground support schemes for dynamic rock failure had many problems.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was due to the difficulty in describing the loading wave that can potentially destroy a mining tunnel and its interaction with the installed rock bolts and support system.\u201d<\/p>\n
To test his theory, Mr Player developed and built a million dollar testing facility that breaks the rock bolts used to keep the mining tunnels open during the dynamic load.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was a big project that required a major investment of time and money,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had to develop a lot of the instrumentation and software from scratch.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis allowed us to measure and properly quantify the performance of rock bolts and what makes them fail or survive; something that has never been done properly before now.\u201d<\/p>\n
The test facility was sponsored by the Minerals and Energy Institute of WA, Geobrugg, Codelco, Atlas Copco, Strata Control Systems (SCS), Dywidag Systems Internation (DSI), Barrick – Kanowna Belle, BHP Billiton – Leinster Nickel, Newmont, Lightening Nickel, KCGM, Garford, Rock Australia, and Goldfields.<\/p>\n
Mr Player said the project was still underway and WASM researchers were approaching industry for sponsorship to test and assess the combined reinforcement and support scheme in their world-class facility.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe would like to finish what we have started and correlate the results directly to underground performance from dynamic loading,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a worthwhile project and I would like to see it through because when it is finished it could make a major difference to the industry.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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