Implicit modelling and geostatistics applied to construction of geotechnical model for a Brazilian open-pit mine

Abstract

The concept of a geotechnical model in open-pit mines is based on a product defined by domains or units with similar geotechnical behavior. The main objective is to support slope design processes. The construction of a geotechnical model must integrate four other models: geological, structural, geomechanical, and hydrogeological. This article aims to present a methodology for constructing these models using geostatistics and implicit modeling, and subsequently, the integration of these models to create a unified geotechnical block model. This model contains information on strength index, degree of fracturing, roughness, Geological Strength Index, anisotropy, and hydraulic conductivity. The developed methodology has proven effective in integrating the thematic models produced. The geostatistical approach reduced subjectivity in model construction, making this process more quantitative. This was one of the main differentiators of this methodology, as it allows for the classification of the reliability of geotechnical information attributed to each block.