A procedure for determining the stress state of the fill and safety issues in mine backfill

Stopes (voids) are generally created during underground mining activities. To assist in managing the stability of these stopes and improve recovery of orebodies, mine backfilling has been widely used in many mining operations. This thesis dealt with numerical, experimental (centrifuge tests) and analytical (models development) investigations of backfilled mine stopes in terms of stress distributions on retaining barricades and associated safety issues. By evaluating both the stress distribution on barricades and the safety of exposed fill faces, the thesis presents an integrated approach that provides important improvements in the safety of in situ backfilling operations.