ABSTRACT
This paper presents a stochastic spatial modelling approach to evaluate the stability analysis of a pit slope in an open pit mine in Canada. More than 200 km of geotechnical borehole data drilled and logged in the mine area was used to develop 3D block models of Rock Mass Rating (RMR) and Uniaxial Compressive Strength (UCS), using stochastic Sequential Gaussian Simulation (SGS) method. The pit design was then excavated into the 3D RMR block models. The block models of the geotechnical attributes (UCS and RMR) were then embedded as input into discretized 3D limit equilibrium models created in SLIDE 3D to conduct a stochastic stability analysis of the pit slope. The modeling results were used to investigate possibilities for optimization of the pit slope design.
