Mining is one of the main economic sectors in South Africa. Mining activity contains hazards such collapsing of structures, presence of dangerous gases, accidental explosions and fires. Even though most of these hazards are identified and minimized sometimes accidents occur. These accidents lead to human injuries, direct fatalities and fatalities resulting from delays in victims getting medical attention as a result of delays in search and rescue missions. The rescue missions in underground mines present challenges where rescuers are not sure which locations are victims in, what the area conditions like in the rescue path. A quad rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for search and rescue missions is presented. The UAV is controlled from a remote location over Wi-Fi. The communication allows data relay to the ground control station. The communication system is tested on the university’s Wi-Fi network. The UAV also contains a vision system that contains a human detection algorithm to give an indication of human presence to rescuers. The human detection system is based on Haar- Cascade classifiers. The model developed was found to have a false alarm rate of 5×10-3% after training. The model was further tested on streaming data and the overall average positive human detection was found to be 97 %. In the same tests overall false average detection was found to be 2.5 %. The video feed is streamed from the UAV to the ground station (GS) and the flight control instructions are sent to the UAV from the GS via Wi-Fi. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

The discontinuities play an important role both in design and development stages of many geotechnical engineering projects. Because of that considerable time and capital should be spent to determine discontinuity sets by conventional methods. This thesis present the results of the studies associated with the application of the Remote Sensing (RS) and the development of a methodology in accurately and automatically detecting the discontinuity sets. For detection of the discontinuities, automatic lineament analysis is performed by using high resolution satellite imagery for identification of rock discontinuities. The study area is selected as an Andesite quarry area in G&ouml / lbaSi, Ankara, Turkey. For the high resolution data 8-bit Ikonos Precision Plus with 1 meter resolution orthorectified image is used. The automatic lineament extraction process is carried out with LINE module of PCI Geomatica v8.2. In order to determine the most accurate parameters of LINE, an accuracy assessment is carried out. To be the reference of the output, manual lineament extraction with directional filtering in four principal directions (N-S, E-W, NE-SW, NW-SE) is found to be the most suitable method. For the comparison of automatic lineament extraction and manual lineament extraction processes, LINECOMP program is coded in java environment. With the written code, a location and length based accuracy assessment is carried out. After the accuracy assesssment, final parameters of automatically extracted lineaments for rock discontinuity mapping for the study area are determined. Besides these, field studies carried out in the study area are also taken into consideration.

In this thesis, the results of a number of rock mass classification systems applied to Dim-higway tunnel study area are presented. The tunnel ground was classified according to Rock Mas Rating (RMR), Modified Rock mass Rating (M-RMR), Rock mass quality (Q), Geological Strength Index (GSI) and New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM). Dim Tunnel has a horse-shoe shape, with a diameter of 10 meters and maximum overburden thickness of 70 meters. During studies, the geological and geotechnical characteristics of the rock mass along the Dim Tunnel route were investigated. The main objective of rock mass classifications carried out in this study was to obtain adequate data that could be used in future excavation and support-design studies. In order to accomplish this task, literature survey was carried out, followed by a comprehensive field study and laboratorytesting. Field studies involved detailed discontinuity surveys of the exposed rock mass at the surface and on the cores taken within 10-20 meters of the borehole above the tunnel. A geological map and a geological cross-section along the tunnel axis were also prepared. Finally, correlations between the results of the rock mass classification systems were made carrying out statistical analyses for the Dim Tunnel study area. The results obtained from the RMR and M-RMR classifications indicate that M-RMR system estimates better rock mass quality ratings at the upper bounds of the rock mass condition, but worst ratings at the lower bounds (RMR is less than 40) as also suggested by the previous studies.

In this study, subsidence analyses were carried out for panels B14, B12, B10, B02, C12, C10, C08 of &Ccedil / ayirhan Lignite Mine using in-situ subsidence measurements. Using the measurements from stations, installed both parallel and perpendicular to panel-advance direction, subsidence profiles were plotted as a function of time and distance from panel center. Horizontal displacement and strain curves were also plotted and compared with subsidence profiles. There are various methods used for subsidence prediction. In this study however, a subsidence model was developed based on empirical model obtained from nonlinear regression analysis. During the analyses SPSS (V.10.0) software was used and the unknown parameters associated with subsidence function were determined for the stations above B14 panel. Since it was too complicated to take all the affecting factors into consideration, only the parameters which could be estimated by statistical evaluation were taken into account during analyses. One significant contribution of this study to subsidence subject was the comparison of the subsidence values measured during this investigation with the values predicted by some other empirical methods. In this study, the structural damages to the pylons installed on ground surface above retreating longwall panels were also investigated by the use of previous studies. Slope as well as horizontal strain changes caused by ground movements due to underground mining were determined. Last but not least, it should be stated another significant contribution of this study to engineering was the collection of a significant database obtained from field measurements.

Research in the field of non-linear optical (NLO) devices lead to an increasing interest in new borate compounds, capable of expanding the frequency range provided by common laser sources. Lithium triborate (LBO) is a newly developed ideal non-linear optical crystal used in laser weapon, welder, radar, tracker, surgery, communication, etc. Borates containing rare-earth elements are of great interest since they are found to be superior in non-linear optical applications. In this study, synthesis and identification of rare-earth doped lithium triborate was carried out. Lithium triborate was produced from the solid-state reaction. LBO was then doped with some rare-earth elements (Gd, La, Y) in several different concentrations. Appropriate quantities of Li2CO3 and H3BO3, weighted separately, were mixed and finely powdered. Then, the mixture was heated at 750 &ordm / C for 14 hrs. The expected reaction is given below. Li2CO3 + 6H3BO3 --&gt / 2LiB3O5 + CO2 + 9H2O Prepared LiB3O5 and Gd2O3, La2O3 and Y2O3 samples were weighed separately at different concentrations and ground together. The mixture was then heated at 750 &ordm / C for 7 hrs. Characterization of the new products was done by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Infrared (IR) analysis. Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) was used for examination of the thermal properties of the compounds, morphology of new compounds was observed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The compounds are then subjected to thermoluminescence (TL) studies. From the XRD studies, no change in the LBO phase related to the addition of rareearth elements was observed. However, peaks of those elements were also become apparent. IR analysis showed that there is no change related to B-O link with the addition of rare earth elements. DTA studies showed that the melting point of LBO decreases with the addition of rare earth elements. In the SEM images, two phases belonging to particles of rare earth elements and lithium triborate were observed clearly. With the TL analysis, it was considered that the samples show dose response but also it was realized that they are affected by fading.

Thesis (M.Eng.(Mining Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2000. / Abstract in English. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MSc (Mathematical Sciences. Applied Mathematics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / South Africa is involved in huge mining operations deep in the earth's crust. Stresses induced by these mining operations may cause seismic events or rockbursts to occur, which could damage infrastructure and put miners' lives at risk. The effect of different mining layouts are modelled and used by engineers to make design decisions. The frequency at which models are updated and integrated with the decision making process is not optimal. These large mining layouts can not be modelled adequately using domain methods, but they are particularly well suited for the boundary element method (BEM). This work focuses on the theory and background needed for creating a linear elastic static stress boundary element solver suited to South African mining layouts. It starts with linear elastic theory and subsequently describes the physical continuum, governing equations and the fundamental solutions which are an integral part of the BEM. Kelvin's solution cannot be applied to crack-like excavations, therefore the displacement discontinuity kernels, which are very well suited to model fractures, are derived. The derivation is approached from both the direct and indirect BEM's perspectives. The problem is cast as a boundary integral equation which can be solved using the BEM. Some of the different specializations of the BEM are discussed. The major drawback of the BEM is that it produces a dense influence matrix which quickly becomes intractable on desktop computers. Generally a mining layout requires a large amount of boundary elements, even for coarse discretization, therefore different techniques of representing the influence matrix are discussed, which, combined with an iterative solver like GMRES or Bi-CG, allows solving linear elastic static stress models.

Este trabalho começa abordando os aspectos estudados: visualização e gerenciamento de informações. Verifica-se hoje que uma das grandes dificuldades com eles é conseguir-se uma visão integrada de todas as atividades de uma empresa, especialmente nas de grande porte, bem como se manter dados precisos e atualizados sempre à disposição, para que se consiga identificar com rapidez possíveis erros e soluções. Estuda-se a utilização de conceitos de mapeamento de processos e de realidade virtual nas áreas de mineração e petrolífera - incluindo um breve histórico e exemplos de aplicações - para suprir estas dificuldades. Descreve-se, a seguir, os objetivos do trabalho, que envolvem o desenvolvimento de um modelo de integração de informações para as duas áreas citadas, além da análise dos benefícios inerentes ao acesso gráfico a repositórios centrais de dados. Parte-se de uma revisão bibliográfica relacionada aos problemas e soluções analisados, e de uma metodologia de trabalho adequada ao tema proposto, baseada em observação, entrevistas e análises com profissionais dos setores envolvidos. Passa-se para o estudo de caso da mina Rio das Pedras, da empresa PETROBRAS, em São Mateus do Sul, PR, que explora folhelhos para obtenção de óleo, escolhida para este estudo por envolver simultaneamente mineração e petróleo, focos dessa tese. Obteve-se diversos resultados, atendendo aos objetivos propostos. Foi desenvolvido um modelo de gerenciamento integrado de informações. Para isso, foi criado um diagrama representando a cadeia de valor de petróleo e foram mapeadas as atividades principais dessa cadeia, bem como as da mineração. Também foram criados modelos, com o auxílio de avançadas ferramentas computacionais, para uso de realidade virtual, além de um roteiro para implantação destes modelos. Estes resultados foram sendo divulgados ao longo deste projeto em diversos eventos, incluindo o Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference, em 2006 e o SIAEM, em 2004. Ao final, observou-se que há a possibilidade de uma boa integração dentro de cada setor, de mineração e petrolífero, e até a integração dos dois setores em alguns aspectos comuns a ambos, permitindo maior facilidade na obtenção de dados e na tomada de decisão. Com isso, verifica-se que essa tecnologia pode trazer melhorias importantes para os setores envolvidos, e muito pode ser feito para desenvolvê-la ainda mais. / This thesis starts by identifying the key issues of the research: visualization and management of information. It is widely known that one of the most common difficulties in information management is to obtain a complete and integrated view of all the company processes and activities. Another common difficulty is to maintain the necessary data always precise, updated and available to whoever needs them, so that it will be possible for the user to identify discrepancies right at the beginning and to immediately visualize the most appropriate solutions for each case. Evaluating the use of process mapping and virtual reality applied to the mining and petroleum industry - including a brief historical background and examples of applications - it is verified how these technologies can help to solve the problems identified. This thesis describes then the research objectives, which are based on developing a model suited for the integration of information in the mining and oil industry. The integration between mine planning and operation, and between oil exploration and production, together with the analysis of the benefits of a central graphical database, are also included. The thesis includes a bibliographic review, related to the problems and solutions analyzed, and also the methodology that has been developed, including observation, interviews, discussions, and analysis with professionals from the mining and petroleum industry. The thesis uses as a case study the oil shale mine Rio das Pedras (a mine from PETROBRAS, in São Mateus do Sul, Paraná). A brief description of this mine, and the reasons for its use on this study, related to the fact that it combines oil and mining engineering, are also presented here. The results of the research includes the development of an information management model, an oil production chain model, and models for processes mapping and virtual reality. These results were presented at international events like Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference, in 2006, and SIAEM, in 2004. Through the simulation of basic operations, as ore transport to the plant, and with the aid of the most advanced software tools available, it was verified how the data could be easily obtained, and how these technologies could be improved - it is already possible to integrate some mining and oil industry aspects - with a quite favorable forecast for its future use in several applications in the mining and petroleum industry.

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