Stress Measurements

Mines and Confined Access Drilling

AAI HAS THE UNIQUE EQUIPMENT AND PERSONNEL FOR CONDUCTING OVERCORING STRESS
MEASUREMENTS IN LIMITED ACCESS SURFACE AND UNDERGROUND LOCATIONS.

We have successfully measured in-situ stresses in gold, copper,

platinum, molybdenum, trona, oil shale, limestone, and coal mines
and in tunnels, concrete dams, and other civil structures since
1978.  In our history, we have completed more than 1,000
overcore stress measurements.
We conduct three well-established types of in-situ stress
measurements based on the overcoring method:

• U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) borehole deformation gauge (BDG) for 2D-
stress measurements

• Sigra IST In-Situ Stress Measurement Tool for 2D-stress measurements

• CSIRO Hollow Inclusion Cell (HI Cell) for 3D-stress measurements

Overcoring up from 4.5-ft wide by 7-ft high gallery in a concrete

dam with a Longyear CP-65 pneumatically driven core drill.

CSIRO Hollow Cell Inclusion Gage

Our core drilling rigs (Ingetrol Explorer 75E, Boyle Super 300, SD-
1500, LA-100, and CP-65) are ideal for overcoring up to 80 feet (25
meters) deep with the USBM BDG and HI Cell methods.  USBM
BDG and HI Cell overcoring is well suited for determining stresses
in mines, tunnels, and concrete dams.  As a general guideline, the
in-situ stress state can be obtained by overcoring at a distance
greater than 2.5 times the diameter of the opening.

USBM BDG two-dimensional stress determinations are conducted

per ASTM D4623-08.

The HI Cell can be used to measure the full three-dimensional in-

situ stress state, or as a long-term monitor of stress changes when A CP-65 pneumatically powered core drill is mounted to the

set permanently in place.  Manufacture details about the HI Cell upstream face of a concrete dam for overcoring. A barge is tied

can be found on the ESS Earth Sciences HI Cell webpage and ESS off to the face of the dam for safe operation of the drill and

Stress Measurements in Dams webpage. overcoring activities.

Our smaller drill rigs are portable for difficult access locations and
are permissible for use in “gassy” mines.  The rigs can be set up on
tracks or skids and powered with diesel engine, electric motor, or
pneumatic-hydraulic powerpacks.  Drilling can be completed from
any angle ranging from holes vertical up to vertical down.

The Sigra IST method is designed for measuring two-dimensional

stress in vertical down holes to depths of 5,000 feet (1,500 meters),
in conjunction with normal HQ wireline coring operations using
Boart Longyear HQ wireline drill string equipment.  Click here for
more information: Sigra IST In-Situ Stress Measurement Tool.

Please see our dam stress measurement project summaries

below.
Overcoring Horizontally in an Underground Trona Mine

Sigra IST In-Situ Stress Measurement Tool

USBM AND HI CELL OVERCORING STRESS DETERMINATIONS SINCE 1994

YEAR CLIENT NO. OF SUCCESSFUL

RUNS

2016- Duke Energy Walters Dam 47

17

2016 Stillwater East Boulder Mine 4

2014 Graymont Pleasant Gap Mine 13

2013 Dominion Roanoke Rapids Mine 74

2013 Subterra, LLC White Pine Copper Mine 3

YEAR CLIENT NO. OF SUCCESSFUL

RUNS

2013 SURF former Homestake Mine 5

2010 Resolution Copper 4

2009 HDR Engineering, Koewee Dam 6

2008 Oxbow Mining LLC, Elk Creek Mine 5

2008 UtahAmerican Energy Inc., West Ridge 4

Mine

2007 Gannett Fleming, Roanoke Rapids Dam 18

2007 Canyon Fuels, SUFCO Mine 2

2007 Chemical Lime Company, Kimballton 11

Mine

2005 Climax, Henderson Mine 2

2004 Andalex Resources, Aberdeen Mine 4

2003 Acres International, Robert Moses 18

Niagara Power Project

2003 U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Seminoe 19

Dam

2003 FMC, Westvaco Mine 12

2003 OCI Wyoming, LP, Big Island Mine 18

2002 OCI Wyoming, LP, Big Island Mine 6

2002 Dravo Lime Co., Black River Mine 15

2000 Mountain Coal Company, West Elk Mine 8

2000 OCI Wyoming, LP, Big Island 40

Mine

2000 NIOSH, Tanoma Mine 2

2000 CDC, Norton Energy Project 6

1999 CDC, Norton Energy Project 2

1999 Stone & Webster Engineering, 15

Santeetlah Dam (Fall ’99)

1999 Solvay Minerals 35

1999 15
 YEAR CLIENT NO. OF SUCCESSFUL

RUNS

Stone & Webster Engineering,

Santeetlah Dam (Winter ’99)

1998 Stone & Webster Engineering, 67

Santeetlah Dam (Fall ’98)

1998 OCI Wyoming, LP, Big Island Mine 25

1998 Energy West, Deer Creek Mine 5

1998 Bowie Resources, Bowie #2 Mine 8

1998 Stone & Webster Engineering, 68

Santeetlah Dam (Spring ’98)

1997 OCI Wyoming, LP, Big Island Mine 14

1997 Stone & Webster Engineering, 20

Santeetlah Dam

1997 Energy West, Deer Creek Mine 20

1996 Solvay Minerals 9

1995 Solvay Minerals 72

1994 Sandia National Laboratories, DNA 9

PROJECT SUMMARIES & PUBLICATIONS: STRESS MEASUREMENTS

All Project Summaries: Stress Measurements Publications: Stress Measurements

Have questions? Contact our technical staff for answers. Contact Us