Calibration of a seismic hazard assessment tool using velocity fields and geotechnical data

Abstract

The majority of seismic hazard assessment tools are solely based on statistical analyses of several seismic source parameters such as event rate and time, and seismic moment. These analyses are often applied to the entire mining area which can impact the accuracy and reliability of the hazard assessment tool in each zone. Experience has shown that mining geomechanical risk is complex and its mitigation needs a broad understanding of other geotechnical factors such as rock mass properties, geological structures, mining method, stress regime, etc. Since all the contributing parameters and their impact are not entirely understood, it is critical to apply a range of geotechnical/geomechanical analyses in correlation to each other and quantify the changes in the rock mass behaviour. The goal of this paper is to develop a seismic hazard assessment tool calibrated for each geotechnical domain within the mine. To develop the tool, we incorporated mine geotechnical and geological data, seismic source parameters, and tomography analyses from a hard rock underground mine in North America. There exist several sub-vertical faults and one horizontal structure in the mine which create clear contrasts in rock mass behaviour across the structure. The results show good correlation among the different datasets, and a calibrated seismic hazard tool has been developed that provides ongoing updates to the mine operation.