Abstract

Advancements in technology for the shotcrete industry have allowed for numerous enhancements to the process, quality of the final product, and impact on the environment. Finding ways to optimize shotcrete operations to spray a safer final product, while finding ways to improve how materials are utilized and reduce overall consumption, is the ultimate goal and already possible. Advancements in LiDAR scanning, coupled with technology that allows for optimization of your batched material while reducing your accelerator chemical content provides new ways of approaching shotcrete that were not possible in the past.

Shotcrete depth scanning technology using LiDAR can change how shotcrete is applied and geotechnical teams can approach their ground support plans. By having verifiable proof of your applied shotcrete, a greater level of safety and ultimately confidence in your ground support is achievable. Spraying only the amount of material required allows for a drastic reduction in consumption of materials and ensuring ground support requirements are met, helping reduce the impact of some of the most carbon intensive processes on an underground operation. Shotcrete depth scanning systems that are fully integrated into next generation shotcrete sprayers that already have significant advancements in how material is applied by operators, allows for successful adoption of these new technologies.

Due to the numerous inputs in shotcrete operations, determining a method for savings and efficiencies that provides various benefits throughout the value chain can allow for viability across a wider range of use cases. The operational costs associated with shotcrete can become significant due to the wide range of requirements involved, including batched material components, admixture chemicals, re-entry or set times, rebound, etc. Therefore, finding solutions to provide savings & efficiencies while improving the final quality is crucial to improving operations and making the process more technically & economically viable to an expanded range of use cases with confidence. Additionally, solutions that allow for a reduction in the carbon footprint associated with shotcrete as well as improving operations make the prospect enormously more valuable.

This paper discusses how a system designed to reduce the amount of accelerant chemical consumed and clear estimated material application by using an efficient accelerant chemical dispersal method and near real time digital LiDAR scanning can provide improved strength generation characteristics and material application thickness estimations, while also providing savings & efficiencies throughout the process. Key areas addressed include how coating vs. bonding the accelerant to the cementitious particles allows for a reduction in consumption of admixture chemicals, strength generation at reduced time intervals that provide a decrease in re-entry times and opening the door to optimized shotcrete mix design. In utilizing passive solutions that administer benefits that add value throughout the process while reducing operational expenditures and potentially decreasing re-entry times, is a true leap forward for the shotcrete industry.