holds its own rock mechanics institute, the
which is well-equipped by state-of-art lab test
facilities and latest modelling tools.
The Institut für Gebirgsmechanik GmbH is the
successor of the former state-owned Institut für Bergbausicherheit
of the Highest Mining Authority of East Germany and, therefore
with widespread experiences on mine safety since five decades.
In the ERCOSPLAN Group of Companies the Institut für
Gebirgsmechanik GmbH is the specialised subsidiary for
high-sophisticated rock mechanical investigations and offers
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rock mechanical laboratory test work
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rock mechanical in-situ test work
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rock mechanical modelling
Beside a climate-controlled testing environment,
which corresponds to the in-situ conditions, well-equipped
laboratories for mineralogical and petrographic examinations and
petrophysical investigations the Institut für Gebirgsmechanik GmbH
uses state-of-art testing equipment (see left) as well as in-situ
measurement equipment like
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borehole-TV for the inspection of
break-out-effects, etc.;
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hydrofrac probes for stress sounding;
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extensometer and inclinometer for the
measurement of ground movements;
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borehole deformometer for measurements of
borehole convergencies and stress determination by the stress
relief method;
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pressure probes and rate-controlled pumps for
determination of permeation in the rocks.
For the computational modelling of rock
mechanical behaviour, recent computer technology including parallel
computing work stations is used in combination with the latest
software tools for continuum and discontinuum mechanics, which
allow the evaluation of planar and three-dimensional problems
under statical and dynamical loading conditions, like FLAC,
FLAC3D, UDEC, 3DEC, PFC2D and PFC3D from ITASCA, with constitutive
equations which were developed by Institut für Gebirgsmechanik GmbH for special geomechanical
problems and implemented in the source code of the programs:
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elasto-plastic material model to describe the
softening and brittle fracture behavior of carnallite
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visco-elastoplastic material model with
softening, dilatancy and (primary, secondary and tertiary) creep
to describe the time-dependent softening behavior of salt rocks
preceding creep fracture
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combined material model for describing the
creep of salt rocks, including inverse transient creep
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MKEN, SENK - programs developed by Institut für Gebirgsmechanik GmbH for
the computation of time-dependent stress-strain processes in a
system of underground openings and for the prediction for
surface effects resulting from mine subsidence.
By application of these tools and in close
cooperation with our mining engineers all issues of underground
mineral extractions and/or disposal and storage in underground
openings can be investigated.
