Ground support design for underground rock engineering projects often adopts empirical methods, which were mostly developed in 1960s and 1970s. While these methods have provided a useful tool to aid design, they have typically been based on a limited database of project experience and so their results need to be interpreted in the context of local experience and engineering judgement.

Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) model allows inclusion of site-specific discontinuities data to be stochastically quantified and explicitly adopted as design input. Combined with 3D Distinct Element Method, this approach offers a more quantifiable, verifiable, and reproduceable method to assess rock mass quality & behaviour in underground excavation projects.

This presentation demonstrates benefits gained from this integrated approach in ground support design for large span rock caverns using a case study. The use of DFN and explicit modelling has allowed ground support to be optimised based on site-specific and more realistic anticipated ground conditions.

Ivan is the David Sugden Award winner for 2022 and will present his award-winning paper in person entitled: Discrete Fracture Network Approach in Ground Support Design Optimisation for Large Span Cavern in Jointed Rock Mass.You can read Ivan’s winning paper here.

The David Sugden Award was initiated by the ATS in 2004 to encourage young engineers to develop the art of technical writing. The competition is open to all ATS members and university students under 35 years of age.

Event program

• 5:30-6.00pm: Networking
• 6-6.50pm: Presentation
• 6:50-7.00pm:Q&A and closing comments

About the speaker

Ivan Haryono, MIEAust CPEng NER
Senior Associate Geotechnical Engineer

Ivan Haryono is Chartered and Registered Professional Geotechnical Engineer with over 12 years of experience on large scale tunnelling and deep excavation projects in Hong Kong, Canada, Australia, Singapore and the Netherlands in different project stages; from tender and detailed design, construction phase services, forensic analysis and claims, and independent review. He has worked on various Drill and Blast tunnels, TBM tunnels, deep shafts in both soft ground and rocks; for metro railway & stations, highways, wastewater treatment plants, and mines. He is experienced in advanced numerical analysis for soil or rock mechanics and ground-structure interaction problems, including finite element, finite difference, and distinct element methods, and discrete fracture network modelling.