Careers

Ph.D. Research Project: Application of PFC3D to room and pillar mining

Description: Simon Fraser University and Itasca Consulting Group, Inc. seek a doctoral student to work on a collaborative research project. This research will involve the application of PFC3D in the characterization of pillar rock mass strength using a synthetic rock mass approach. Discrete fracture networks will be imported into mine pillars of varying size and geometry in order to investigate the factors influencing pillar rock mass strength (e.g. structure, heterogeneity, time). The research will involve a combined numerical modeling – field based approach and will use a combination of pillar mapping, digital photogrammetry and/or instrumentation in order to constrain synthetically derived PFC3D rock mass properties. A component of the project will also entail the use of PFC3D to simulate varying pillar rock mass damage scales and to investigate the effect of pillar recovery on brittle fracture in pillars. The student will be based at Simon Fraser University but will be expected to spend periods of time working at an Itasca office to be determined.

Qualifications:

To Apply: For further details please contact Doug Stead, Professor (Simon Fraser University).

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