Use of RocFall Software for Flyrock Simulation in Open-Pit Mining
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29227/IM-2026-01-01-023Keywords:
flyrock, blasting, open-pit mining, RocFallAbstract
In open-pit mining, a flyrock corresponds to the projection of a fragment because of the energy released in a blast, which increases the risk to personnel, equipment, and infrastructure. In recent decades, several models have been generated that attempt to predict the velocity and maximum projection distance to define safety zones. However, there is no generalized vision on how to approach this phenomenon, nor is there a widespread approach to its analysis using software. Under the assumption that an analogy can be assumed between the flyrock phenomenon and the rockfall considering an initial acceleration, the use of RocFall software is proposed to simulate this phenomenon. For this purpose, a case study was generated considering a conventional blasting with 10-meter high benches and an initial velocity based on existing empirical models. The three scenarios studied were: (i) a base case without considering the restitution coefficient, (ii) a case considering the restitution coefficient, and (iii) a three-dimensional model. A total of 100 possible trajectories were simulated, measuring the range of each and the distribution of impacts along the study profile. The importance of considering the coefficient of restitution in the analysis is evident because many existing models only consider the distance reached by the initial impact of the fragment and not what happens to the fragment after the impact. Finally, it was concluded that RocFall can be used as a visual tool for the study of projections, and different lines for future applications are proposed.
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