{"paper_id":"41faf9c4-3d90-4f16-8ec9-1b41affc1e95","body_text":"Numerical investigation of the energy absorption mechanisms of the selected ground support elements | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Numerical investigation of the energy absorption mechanisms of the selected ground support elements Ceren Karatas Batan, Selahattin Akdag, Chengguo Zhang, Joung Oh, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9173490/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 6 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Ground support systems are critical in ensuring safety while maintaining excavation stability to support continuous production. In burst-prone mines, these systems must also withstand dynamic loading and large deformation. To achieve this, underground mines employ a combination of rock reinforcement and surface support elements to maintain the structural integrity of excavations. Designing an effective ground support system requires a comprehensive understanding of the mechanical behaviour of individual support components and their interactions under dynamic load. This paper investigates the mechanical behaviour of surface support elements, including welded wire mesh and fibre-reinforced shotcrete (FRS), as well as the reinforcement element commonly used in underground mining operations. The primary objective of this study is to develop 3D numerical models in explicit FEM that accurately replicate the performance of ground support elements under controlled laboratory testing conditions. The developed models effectively captured load redistribution, load-displacement responses, and failure mechanisms observed in laboratory experiments. Once calibrated, these models were utilised to analyse the interactions between welded wire mesh and FRS. The combined system of welded wire mesh, plate, and Falcon Bolt was assessed under high-stiffness and low-stiffness boundary conditions. The energy absorption by the high-stiff system is 50% less than that of the high-stiff system. Conversely, in the low-stiffness system, reduced mesh restraint allowed more efficient load distribution, resulting in an energy absorption capacity approximately 10% higher than the theoretical value. The results revealed that localised stress concentrations at the bolt-mesh connection increased the risk of failure. These findings show the importance of selecting appropriate boundary conditions in numerical simulations to ensure a realistic representation of underground support behaviour. They also demonstrate the need to accurately identify potential failure mechanisms within support systems to improve overall design reliability. The calibrated numerical models serve as a reliable tool for evaluating the performance of support systems in underground mines, particularly under dynamic loading conditions. They can also be used in future studies to investigate the combined response of support elements within the system, contributing to the development of more effective ground control strategies in dynamic environments. rockbolts welded wire mesh fibre-reinforced shotcrete ground support systems FEM energy absorption rockburst Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 04 May, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 03 May, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 03 May, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 03 May, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 09 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 19 Mar, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {\"props\":{\"pageProps\":{\"initialData\":{\"identity\":\"rs-9173490\",\"acceptedTermsAndConditions\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":false,\"archivedVersions\":[],\"articleType\":\"Research Article\",\"associatedPublications\":[],\"authors\":[{\"id\":635076429,\"identity\":\"f36aa89a-aa58-41e3-afab-c16114be06d7\",\"order_by\":0,\"name\":\"Ceren Karatas Batan\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"UNSW\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Ceren\",\"middleName\":\"Karatas\",\"lastName\":\"Batan\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":635076430,\"identity\":\"65a0b4b7-90d4-43d2-9368-4c4ee15ffc50\",\"order_by\":1,\"name\":\"Selahattin 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In burst-prone mines, these systems must also withstand dynamic loading and large deformation. To achieve this, underground mines employ a combination of rock reinforcement and surface support elements to maintain the structural integrity of excavations. Designing an effective ground support system requires a comprehensive understanding of the mechanical behaviour of individual support components and their interactions under dynamic load. This paper investigates the mechanical behaviour of surface support elements, including welded wire mesh and fibre-reinforced shotcrete (FRS), as well as the reinforcement element commonly used in underground mining operations. The primary objective of this study is to develop 3D numerical models in explicit FEM that accurately replicate the performance of ground support elements under controlled laboratory testing conditions. 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