The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the Foundation for Industrial and Technical research (SINTEF) located in Trondheim, Norway have since the late 1960ies developed equipment for in-situ rock stress measurements, including 2-D and 3-D overcoring and hydraulic fracturing. This also includes equipment for monitoring of rock stress changes. SINTEF carries out stress measurements on a commercial basis, which has resulted in measurements at more than 150 locations in 18 countries around the world. This includes disciplines such as mining, hydropower projects, public caverns, military installations and infrastructure.
This paper presents recent a case study of a sublevel caving mining operation and the construction of complicated underground construction for a major railway project. SINTEF has developed a comprehensive procedure, combining continuous rock stress measurements and displacement measurements with 2-D and 3-D numerical modeling. Continued rock stress measurements and rock stress change monitoring are actively used to calibrate the numerical models. This forms a tripod of information, which gives reliable modeling results used for active operation planning.
The Rock Mechanics Laboratory of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and SINTEF (Foundation of Technical and Scientific Research at NTNU) has performed in-situ rock stress measurements since 1964. Through SINTEF Building and Infrastructure, Department of Rock and Soil Mechanics, measurements are carried out on a commercial basis.
