Slope Failure Prediction at Husab Open Pit Mine in Namibia

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dc.contributor.authorThikusho, Christine Runguro
dc.contributor.supervisorWatson, Bryan P.
dc.date.accessioned2024-07-14T22:58:56Z
dc.date.available2024-07-14T22:58:56Z
dc.date.issued2023-12
dc.descriptionA research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering, in the School of Mining Engineering, in 2023.
dc.description.abstractThe study is focused on Domain D at Husab Mine in Namibia. The purpose of the study was to improve prediction of pending slope failures for planar and wedge configurations. Planar and wedge failures are similar in that little strain is required to initiate failure. Slope monitoring systems such as ground based radars, interferometric synthetic aperture radar and prisms were reviewed from the available literature. The data from the mine’s satellite monitoring data and the ground-based radar instruments was analysed. Slope prediction methods were used to back-analyse the failures, to determine if failure prediction times were possible. A case study was incorporated from the neighbouring Rössing Uranium mine, to supplement the data. The data utilised for the study was downloaded from the slope monitoring instruments on the mine i.e., the interferometric synthetic aperture radar, ground-based radar and tension crack data. The following slope failure predictive tools were investigated; the strain deformation approach; the inverse velocity method; the slope gradient method; the acceleration and velocity approach; and Displacement/Time plots. The back-analysis work done proves that the following slope failure predictive methods were able to predict failure at least 3 days before failure: velocity, cumulative displacement and inverse velocity. It appears that the Husab mine failure mechanism is not as brittle as previously assumed and failures are not necessarily instantaneous. Therefore, failures should be identified early, and the necessary risk mitigation measures implemented proactively. The ability of back analysing large volumes of stored data is important in the study of failure prediction.
dc.description.sponsorshipHusab Mine’s management team Mineral Resources Department and the geotechnical team Rössing Uranium Mine
dc.description.submitterMM2024
dc.facultyFaculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
dc.identifier.citationThikusho, Christine Runguro. (2023). Slope Failure Prediction at Husab Open Pit Mine in Namibia. [Master's dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WIReDSpace. https://hdl.handle.net/10539/38921
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/38921
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
dc.rights©2023 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
dc.rights.holderUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
dc.schoolSchool of Mining Engineering
dc.subjectDomain D at Husab Mine in Namibia
dc.subjectPlanar and wedge failures
dc.subjectSlope monitoring systems
dc.subjectSlope failure
dc.subjectVelocity
dc.subjectInverse velocity
dc.subjectCumulative displacement
dc.subjectKinematics
dc.subjectBencat failure
dc.subjectRössing Uranium mine
dc.subjectUCTD
dc.subject.otherSDG-17: Partnerships for the goals
dc.titleSlope Failure Prediction at Husab Open Pit Mine in Namibia
dc.typeDissertation
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