Reduce Shotcrete Cycle Times by 35%

Mesh and bolt reinforcement systems have long been the standard reinforcement systems in underground construction, however it is not conducive to high productivity and continuous development cycles. Fiber reinforced shotcrete and bolting as a primary support system has eliminated these hurdles.

Synthetic fiber reinforced shotcrete (MSFRS) was first used on a mass scale in underground mining and today it’s standard practice in both mining and civil tunnelling ground support across Europe, America and many other regions.

MSFRS offers numerous benefits over the traditional mesh and bolt support system;

• Increased performance.
• Durability is increased by eliminating corrosion.
• Site safety is increased as workers reduce and eliminate time under unreinforced ground.
• The application process can be automated.
• Speed of development is substantially increased.
• Concrete cover is not required.
• Significant capital cost reduction.

Table 1: Published by G. Methvin (2004), “Shotcrete: More Engineering Developments”, shows a direct time comparison for synthetic fiber reinforced shotcrete vs mesh and bolt reinforcement systems.

It is clear that synthetic fiber reinforced shotcrete has the ability to greatly reduce cycle times, reducing direct project costs and providing a faster return on investment. Proof of this has been documented across numerous infrastructure project, such as the Mt Ovit Tunnel project in Turkey.

When combined with increased performance, site safety and reduced maintenance the arguments in favour of this support system become overwhelming, and further explains why it has experienced such a rapid increase in global use over the past decade.

You can read the full paper by following the link below.

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