Rock Mechanics
Agapito Associates Inc. (AAI) has its origins in the application of
Rock Mechanics to underground mine design.
Rock Mechanics to underground mine design.
Rock Mechanics services provided by AAI range from laboratory testing of rock, design and installation of instrumentation to monitor rock deformation and stress change, stress determinations, characterization of rock from core logging and down-hole geophysical logging, and modeling of rock behavior. AAI also designs rock reinforcement systems and ground control systems in both operating mines and in underground civil structures. We have applied rock mechanic principles in all aspects of underground mine design using many different mining methods and for the mining of all types of orebodies. AAI’s experience in application of rock mechanics includes conventional mining as well as evaluation and design in high-temperature applications such as in-situ retorting of oil shale and high-temperature solution mining. AAI coordinates and manages site characterization programs where core logging, rock testing, geophysical logging, structural geology and geohydraulic characteristics are integrated and become the foundation for model development and analysis for optimizing opening and pillar dimensions, ground support, and stope or cavern design. Model development utilizes best-available computer codes with the site-specific geomechanical data to model complex shapes and sequences of mining.
