ABSTRACT
This paper builds on previous publications by the author summarizing experiences from major, mostly deep mining and tunnelling operations and work by collaborating researchers. Some of the lessons learned with brittle failing rock in deep underground construction and Alpine tunnelling was previously presented in keynote lectures: at GeoEng 2000 (Kaiser et al. 2000), summarizing a decade of collaborative research work on brittle rock failure; at two Rockburst and Seismicity in Mines Symposia (Kaiser et al. 2005 and 2009), introducing new means of complex data interpretation in seismically active mines; at GEAT’99 and ‘05 (Kaiser & Tannant 1999 and Kaiser 2006), focusing on experiences from Alpine tunnelling in Switzerland; and at the Asian Rock Mechanics Symposium (Kaiser 2006), highlighting the impact of brittle failure on constructability. This paper expands on aspects covered at the Canada-U.S. Rock Mechanics Symposium (Kaiser 2007), and at the 1st Southern Hemisphere International and the Korean Rock Mechanics Symposia (Kaiser & Kim 2008a and b).
