Study of rock mass structural features based on laser scanning results

Monitoring of pit slopes benches stability and pit walls plays the important role in the safety of mining operations. Slope stability assessment and risk management are mandatory to ensure safe and efficient operation of pits. Laser scanning technology is one of the base methods of geospatial data collecting for building of man-made objects models. Laser scanning is widely used in mining when performing survey work, measurements, monitoring, and studying structural features on the outcroppings of the rock mass. The article describes the technological chain: the collection of geospatial data, the processing of the obtained data with the construction of a terrain model and the further use of the resulting model to solve practical tasks. The choice of optimal laser scanning parameters should be based on the technological features of a pit, the technical characteristics of used equipment and scanning density required to solve the tasks. The article demonstrates the use of the obtained model for determining the necessary geometric parameters of the structural features of the rock mass to conduct kinematic analysis of potential bench failures at the object of study. Based on the results of kinematic analysis, recommendations were developed for further mining operations and potential bench failures risks reducing. The proposed technology can be used and adapted for laser scanning, followed by the construction of a terrain model at various mineral deposits to solve a wide range of tasks and ensure the safety of open-pit mining. Due to the inclusion of laser scanners in the register of measuring instruments in Kazakhstan, high reliability of measurement accuracy is ensured. The technology allows both to obtain generalized data on the sides of the quarry, as well as detailed scans of individual ledges. A significant advantage is the automatic generation of a point cloud during scanning, which reduces in-house processing.