Base Friction Testing Methodology for the Deformation of Rock Masses Caused by Mining Under an Open-Pit Slope

Mining under an open-pit slope results in the deformation and instability of rock masses. It is difficult to measure the internal rock mass damage range completely. In this paper, a base friction testing method for analyzing mining models under an open-pit slope is proposed, and new methodology combines digital image correlation (DIC) and particle image velocimetry (PIV) techniques to analyze entire deformation process. A series of base friction tests was performed to reveal the deformation mechanism of mining model under an open-pit slope and compared with mining model without open-pit slope. The test results showed two different types of damage: staged parabolic-like and progressive trapezoidal-like damage. Moreover, the proposed methodology can obtain the entire process displacement and velocity vector distribution from deformation to damage inside the slope and convert it into data for visualization, which provides a reference for the evaluation and control of field open-pit slopes under similar conditions