Pillar Design

Itasca has developed unique and robust approaches to pillar design that recognizes the importance of understanding the rock behavior from intact rock and bedding to joints and faults. Itasca’s software can model the stress-strain response of continuous, blocky, or bedded materials exhibiting plastic, brittle, or creep behaviors. Consequently, any combination of lithology comprising the pillar-floor-roof system can be analyzed. This includes reproducing the complex combination of pillar sloughing (rib rash) and floor heave experienced at different extraction levels and vertical stress levels throughout a mine. Information derived from these pillar-scale models forms an essential input to larger-scale models, which have been used extensively for design of individual panels (width, remnant stub width, and extraction ratio) as well as barrier pillars, and the overall mine layout and extraction ratio. These larger-scale models have been validated through successful back-prediction of the timing and nature of large-scale catastrophic collapses experienced in the region.

Latest News
  • Now Available from ITASCA: Innovative Machine Learning Tool for FLAC3D/FLAC2D V9.2 Experience the Future of Geotechnical Modeling with ITASCA Software V9.2: Introducing Machine Learning Models...
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  • Experience the Future of Geotechnical Modeling with ITASCA Software V9.2 Experience the Future of Geotechnical Modeling with ITASCA Software V9.2: Introducing Machine Learning Models and...
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  • Thank You to our Summer Interns ITASCA Minneapolis is lucky to have welcomed nine amazing and dedicated summer interns in our...
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Upcoming Events
25 Feb
Débuter avec FLAC2D/FLAC3D
This training is an introduction to continuous modeling with FLAC2D and FLAC3D. At the end of the course, participants will master the ... Read More
23 Feb
SME MINEXCHANGE Conference & Expo
SME's annual conference and expo, MINEEXCHANGE, brings together mining and mineral industry professionals to share best practices and i... Read More
11 Mar
Getting Started with 3DEC
Objectives of the training: Understand the 3DEC numerical approach and the types of problems it can solveKnow how to manipulate the 3DE... Read More