Researchers from the Spokane Research Laboratory of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health are using biaxial stressmeters to measure long-term stress changes in mine pillars and abutments. Data from these instruments provide important information for monitoring the stability of underground workings, determining stress redistribution during mining, and validating numerical models for mine design. The stressmeters have been used to evaluate the transfer of mining-induced loads to cemented backfill, determine the load-carrying capacity of frozen gravel pillars, and analyze the magnitude and orientation of stress redistribution ahead of a longwall. These case studies have demonstrated that the biaxial stressmeter is a rugged and reliable instrument and justify its consideration for other rock mechanics applications.
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