Numerical and analytical simulation of the structural behaviour of fully grouted cable bolts under impulsive loading

Designing reliable yielding support system to mitigate the effect of the kinetic energy in burst-prone conditions in mining and tunneling excavations is one of the challenges for geotechnical engineers. A combination of the support elements can be used to increase rock strength and minimise the displacement of unstable rock mass. It is important to understand how the support system works to ensure the stability of underground excavations. Cable bolts have been commonly used as an effective underground support system and an element of reinforcement to improve rock stability. Cable bolts are usually considered to be subjected to static loads under relatively low stress environments, however, in burst-prone conditions, they might be subjected to dynamic loads. Cable bolts as well as other support elements are used in burst-prone conditions to absorb the kinetic energy of the removed rock to avoid sudden and violent failures. This paper develops numerical and a novel analytical simulation technique for cable bolts to assess their structural behaviour under static and dynamic loading conditions. The numerical and analytical models are then validated against experimental observations reported in the literature, which demonstrates the reliability of the proposed models.