Due to the nature of mining operations, the potential risk of rockfall is high. There are several ways that the hazard can be decreased using either active or passive rockfall protection systems.
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Reinforced Slopes
REINFORCED SLOPES

REINFORCED SLOPES

Vaneer
VENEER PROTECTION FOR SLOPES

VENEER PROTECTION FOR SLOPES

Dump Wall
RETAINING AND DUMP WALLS

RETAINING AND DUMP WALLS

Rockfall
ROCKFALL PROTECTION OF WORKING AREAS AND INFRASTRUCTURE

ROCKFALL PROTECTION OF WORKING AREAS

Geofabrics Experience in Slope Stability and Rockfall

Mine engineers face numerous challenges when designing haul roads and dump structures. It is common for open cut mines to be dug on benches with the walls of the pit dug at angles less than vertical. The steps in the walls may help prevent rock falls continuing down the entire face of the wall, but in some instances additional wall face support is required. Depending on the type of rock and degree of weathering, the use of geotechnical solutions can minimise damage and danger from rock falls. Similarly dump walls (or dump structures) are widely used in mining operations to create a stable platform from which heavily laden trucks can tip their loads into a primary crusher. The large amount of rock found on most mine sites is ideal for use in the packing of a mechanically stablised earth system. The various configurations of geotechnical solutions offer benefits that are ideally suited to the sometimes remote, harsh and demanding environments that are encountered at most sites. For example, modular systems allow for relatively quick and easy installation and corrosion resistant coatings ensure optimum performance and long term design strength. Geofabrics Australasia offers a range of products that, when used in conjunction with the soil materials, have the ability to retain, protect and reinforce

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Reinforced Slopes

REINFORCED SLOPES

Steepening of slope batters is often necessary to increase the amount of usable land footprint whilst also reducing the amount of structural fill required. Reinforcement of slopes from 45˚ on vertical walls to bridge abutments can be achieved by the use of Tensar® RE geogrids. Tensar® reinforced soil structures have a number of advantages including long term stability, proven system, simplicity, cost effectiveness and rapid construction methods.

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Tensar Uniaxial Geogrids

Tensar® RE uniaxial geogrids have been given accreditation for use in retaining walls and bridge abutments as well as in soil slopes by a number of independent government and other certifying agencies around the world and are all manufactured in accordance with Quality and Environmental Management Systems which comply with the requirements of BS EN ISO 9001:2015 and BS EN ISO 14001:2015 respectively.

TenCate Geogrids

Miragrid®, Mirafi®, Miramesh® Geogrids are plastics formed into a very open, grid-like configuration; that is, they have large apertures. Geogrids are either stretched in one or two directions for improved physical properties or made on weaving machinery by unique methods. There are many application areas and they function almost exclusively as reinforcement materials.

Rockfall Netting and Soil Nails

Falling debris and rocks can be due to rock formation deterioration caused by plant action, thermal expansion, winds, cold and thaw, hydrostatic pressure and seismic action. Maccaferri double-twist wire mesh is the ideal for use in the manufacture of drapery of rockfall, due to its flexibility in all directions, and to the fact that it will not unravel, even in the event of some wire breakage. It also does not inhibit the regeneration of vegetation allowing the slope to return back to its natural state after repair.

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Vaneer protection

Veneer protection for slopes

Veneer Reinforcement is the use of a geosynthetic to reduce the stress from a soil cover on a geomembrane liner at the side slopes of a landfill.

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Concrete Canvas - Shotcrete Alternative

Concrete Canvas is a flexible, concrete impregnated fabric that hardens when hydrated to form a thin, durable, water proof and fire resistant concrete layer. It is the original concrete on a roll.

Concrete Canvas allows concrete construction without the need for plant or mixing equipment. Simply unroll and position Concrete Canvas, and then just add water (any type of water, including sea water). Concrete Canvas has no impact on the pH of runoff water. Concrete Canvas is widely used as a cheaper alternative to non-structural shotcrete.

Compared to traditional concrete solutions, Concrete Canvas is faster, easier and more cost effective to install and has the additional benefit of reducing the environmental

Rockfall Netting Passive

Geofabrics range of Maccaferri rockfall drapery systems are designed to control rockfall movement by guiding falling debris to a collection point at the toe of the slope thus protecting structures from debris damage. It also does not inhibit the regeneration of vegetation allowing the slope to return back to its natural state after repair.

Maccaferri Rockfall Netting is typically used in both simple drapery systems and in a variety of specialist geotechnical and engineering applications including slope stabilisation, rockfall protection and surface protection applications.

Geotextile Covers on Slopes

The Geoweb Cellular Confinement System offers a broad range of surface protection treatments for slopes that are subjected to erosive forces. The inherent flexibility of the system, combined with a variety of simple, yet positive anchoring techniques, permits the application of both vegetated and hard surfacing materials to steep slopes. By ensuring the long-term stability and effectiveness of slope cover materials, the integrity of underlying soils can be guaranteed and appropriate aesthetic standards maintained. The Geoweb system can also provide means of fully vegetating slope surfaces that could not otherwise support plant life.

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Dump Wall

RETAINING WALLS AND DUMP WALLS

Dump and head walls form an integral part of many mines around the world and the structures can be in excess of 25m high. The combination of reinforcement and facing options can be designed such that the structure withstands high vertical and horizontal loading from heavy vehicles and seismic activity. The large amount of rock readily available on most mine sites for packing of the Gabion facing makes the Gabion - Tensar® system an effective solution.

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Maccaferri Gabion Dump Walls

Maccaferri Gabions are rectangular woven wire mesh baskets that can be filled with rock to create flexible, permeable. Their strength comes from a double twisted hexagonal mesh of steel wire, reinforced by heavier gauge wire along the edges and internal diaphragms.

Maccaferri Gabions can withstand high shear stresses and earth pressures and can be easily adapted to site conditions.

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Rockfall

ROCKFALL PROTECTION OF WORKING AREAS

Geofabrics Australasia offers a range of rockfall protection and catch fence products, designed to restrict or mitigate the risk of rockfall, to ensure a safer working environment.

Our products are manufactured using various grades of corrosion resistant, coated, double twisted, hexagonally woven mesh. The woven mesh panels are reinforced using steel cables, which are incorporated biaxially or uniaxially depending on the tensile strength requirement of the design system. Catch fencing is constructed either vertically or at an angle to the vertical at the required off-set distance from the toe of a slope. The purpose of the catch fence is to catch any loose material falling from overlying blocky ground. A rockfall netting system is installed as a drapery system with the primary aim of restricting rock movement down the slope. Both systems are key components in reducing the risk to the workforce at the base of the pit walls. Geocomposite products are also available. These incorporate the strength benefits associated with the double twisted woven mesh rock fall netting, integrated with a synthetic erosion control mat. This unique combination offers end-users the dual benefit of controlled rock detachment whilst promoting vegetation growth.

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Rockfall Netting Passive

Geofabrics range of Maccaferri rockfall drapery systems are designed to control rockfall movement by guiding falling debris to a collection point at the toe of the slope thus protecting structures from debris damage. It also does not inhibit the regeneration of vegetation allowing the slope to return back to its natural state after repair.

Maccaferri Rockfall Netting is typically used in both simple drapery systems and in a variety of specialist geotechnical and engineering applications including slope stabilisation, rockfall protection and surface protection applications.

Rockfall Active Catch Fences

Geofabrics offers a range of Maccaferri rockfall barrier fence systems designed to intercept falling rocks which have detached from the rock face above which may cause damage to infrastructure below and in severe cases loss of life. Rockfall barrier fences of variable geometry are fabricated from a complex system of steel cables, connections of steel cables to structural elements, energy absorbing devices and anchorages, capable of high deformation capacities which are designed to be easily transported and assembled in extreme conditions.

Rockfall Bunds

Maccaferri Terramesh is a versatile, modular system for reinforced slope systems and mechanically stabilised earth walls that can be a more cost effective solution than the mass gravity Gabion wall because of the speed of installation and reduced rock fill requirements.

For mechanically stabilised earth slopes and embankments that require vegetation, the front face of Maccaferri Green Terramesh can be filled with soil and planted, creating a green slope.

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