Innovation in quarry face safety monitoring

Maptek and Oakes Surveys develop new approach to the monitoring of rock falls in quarries

MAPTEK, working in partnership with Oakes Surveys, have developed a new and innovative approach to the monitoring of quarry rock faces.

Using the Maptek I-Site 8800 long-range laser scanner and accompanying Studio software, an effective solution to acquire and process data has been created to help understand changes in the rock face and rock falls. The method used is said to be safe, cost-effective and unparalleled in its accuracy.

By surveying the 1,000m x 600m x 150m deep Croft Quarry in Leicestershire, which has been operational for more than 70 years, I-Site sales and technical consultant Graeme Cowie and Oakes Surveys’ Andrew Beardsley have developed a service that will allow quarry companies to ensure highly efficient planning and monitoring with regard to health and safety procedures on site.

Given that Croft has been operational for a long period of time, weathering of the higher benches had resulted in reduced stability leading to rock falls. This led management at the quarry to seek the source of the break-offs in order to create solutions that would ensure continued safety for staff.

Five visits over a period of 18 months created layered panels of the quarry walls, allowing the surface-change analysis tool within Studio to compare segments or break-offs over time. The software is able to pinpoint changes to the rock face of less than 0.5m by using different colours to determine variations, which has led to greater understanding of how the walls are developing over time and allowed for greater accuracy in the placement of berms.

Management of the quarry now have topographic data that show, with a high degree of accuracy, the shape of the walls and benches; this updates the standard generic models that were used previously when designing rock-fall solutions. The patterns created highlight critical issues and allow for cost-effective solutions to be developed, thereby aiding profit maximization on site.