Underground Design

Introduction
This menu has commands that allow you to create strings with a known length,
direction, radius and gradient. Although these strings are intended as underground
development centre lines, the string creation functions are very useful for purposes
other than underground design. There are also tools for connecting the centre line
strings.
Under the Drive Linking sub menu, there are commands that allow you to select
and assign various drive cross sections to the centreline strings.
This section assumes that you are familiar with the string editing and view control
commands.

Underground Design M-1

 Centreline - Create (car)
This is the most useful command in this menu. Select this command and the string
attributes panel will appear.

This allows you to assign colours, symbol types, life styles and attributes for the
string. Choose a colour and select a start point by clicking anywhere within the
graphics window and enter responses to the prompts as shown.

Enter starting azimuth ...........: [ 0.0 ]:

Enter gradient of string (degrees): [ - ]:

You cannot give a value of ‘-’ for the gradient, so we’ll use 0.

Enter gradient of string (degrees): [ - ]: 0

But you can give a radius of ‘-’.

Enter radius .....................: [ - ]:

Enter actual distance ............: [ - ]: 10

A 10m line pointing North will be drawn on the screen.

Now let’s use CENTRELINE - CREATE (car) to create more complex strings.
Select CAR, click on screen to indicate a start point, then follow these steps to
create a half turn spiral decline with a 10 degree gradient:

Enter starting azimuth ...........: [ 0.0 ]:

Enter gradient of string (degrees): [ - ]: -10
Enter radius .....................: [ - ]: 25
[H]alf, Quarter, Distance or Azimuth[ H ]:

Finally click on one side or other of your original point (marked with a cross) to
indicate the direction of turn. If you had entered ‘Q’ at the last prompt this would
have given you a quarter turn. If you entered ‘A’ then you can specify the final
azimuth of the string.

M-2 GUIDE
 Finally, select CENTRELINE-CREATE and snap to the end of the string on
screen using the right hand mouse button.

Enter starting azimuth ...........: [ 180 ]:

Enter gradient of string (degrees): [ -10 ]:
Enter radius .....................: [ 25 ]:

Selecting option ‘D’ for distance allows you to input an actual distance.

[H]alf, Quarter, Distance or Azimuth[ H ]: D

If you hit return to accept the default value of ‘-’ though, GUIDE prompts for the
vertical distance. If you input ‘-’again, GUIDE will then prompt for the horizontal
distance. Another input of ‘-’ will cycle you back to the actual distance prompt.

Enter actual distance ............: [ - ]:

Enter vertical distance ..........: [ - ]:
Enter horizontal distance ........: [ - ]:
Enter actual distance ............: [ 10 ]: 100

horizontal distance

vertical
distance
actual
distance

Finally, in plan view, click to one side of your start point to choose a clockwise or
anti-clockwise decline. View the results in the SET - VIEW (vi) or visualiser.

Underground Design M-3

 Centreline - Automatic (ar)
This command will connect two strings with an another string. You can specify
either the gradient or the curve radius in the connecting string.

Using STRING-NEW (ns) and PLANE-MOVE (ap) create two strings as shown
in plan view. They should toe in slightly and be on different elevations.

Select the CENTRELINE - AUTOMATIC (ar) command. GUIDE will ask you to
‘Select the first point of ramp string’ - click on the top end of the right hand string.
When GUIDE tells you to ‘Select end point of ramp string’, click on the top end of
the left hand string.

Then follow the prompts below. Just accept the first two azimuths - GUIDE picks
these up from the strings. Enter a radius value smaller then the distance between
the two strings and leave the gradient unassigned (if you give both the radius and
gradient, it may be geometrically impossible to create a ramp within these
constraints).

M-4 GUIDE
Enter starting azimuth of ramp ....: [ 346.9645 ]:
Enter finishing azimuth of ramp ...: [ 187.8693 ]:
Enter radius ......................: [ 25 ]:15
Enter gradient of string (degrees) : [ -10 ]:-

You should see something like this:

Underground Design M-5

 Centreline - Fit Curve (fr)
This command can be used to create corners with a specified radius. Create two
straight strings, whose ends overlap as shown:

Deselect all strings by pressing the SELECT - STRING button (ignore the
message ‘Select string’ ), then click on the CENTRELINE - FIT CURVE (fr)
command. You will see ‘Select string at required end’ in the message box. Click
on point A. You will then see the message ‘Select string and side for end for curve fit’
- click on point B. GUIDE will then prompt for a radius:

Enter radius ...........: [ 30 ]: 20

M-6 GUIDE
Guide will then construct a curve as shown:

If you do not get a curve as shown, try using a smaller radius.

Underground Design M-7

 Centreline - Connect (cog)
This command creates one or two new strings from a point on a string to any part
of another string. The strings created have a nominated gradient.

To demonstrate, create a spiral decline, and a single string as shown here in a

sectional view.

Select the command CENTRELINE - CONNECT (cog), and when you see the
message ‘Select first point for graded string’, snap to the left end of the straight
string using the right hand mouse button. GUIDE will then instruct you to ‘Select
string for connection’. Click on the spiral decline string. You will then be
prompted for a gradient:

Enter gradient of string (degrees): [ -10 ]:12.5

M-8 GUIDE
Guide will create one or two possible strings at the required gradient.

Underground Design M-9

 Gradient Convention (gc)
When this button is selected, a dialogue box pops up as shown. You can choose
between using gradients expressed in degrees, per cent, or one in N.

You can also specify whether positive gradients are up or down. The REDRAW
button works in the same way as the ACCEPT button except that GUIDE redraws
the screen behind the button if you select REDRAW.

Gradient - Adjust To (at)

This command can be used to change the gradient of a string from a selected point
to the end of the string. GRADIENT - ADJUST TO (at) only changes the Z
coordinates of the points on the string in order to achieve the change in gradient.
The X and Y coordinates are left unchanged.
The following exercise uses the GRADIENT - ADJUST TO command to change
the gradient of a spiral decline.
Use the CENTRELINE - CREATE (car) command to create a spiral decline

M-10 GUIDE
 similar to the one shown. Use a gradient of -7.
Select GRADIENT - ADJUST TO (at). You will be asked to ‘Select adjustment
point on string’. Select a point somewhere on the decline. The arrow indicates
which point was selected.
You will then need to enter the new gradient.

Enter gradient of string (degrees): [ - ]:-12.5

The gradient can be specified in degrees, one in N or percent according to the

setting of GRADIENT - CONVENTION (gc). The decline should now look
similar to this.

Underground Design M-11

 Gradient - Smooth (sg)
This command can be used to ‘smooth out’ the gradient of a string between two
selected points on a string. GRADIENT - SMOOTH only changes the Z
coordinates of the points on the string in order to achieve the change in gradient.
The X and Y coordinates are left unchanged.

Digitise a string in section view similar to the one shown below.

Select GRADIENT - SMOOTH (sg). You are asked to ‘Select first point on
SELECTED adjustment point on string’. Snap to a point on the left of the string.
You are then asked to ‘Select second point on string’, snap to a point on the right
of the string.

M-12 GUIDE
String Commands.
All the ‘STRING’ commands except for STRING - TO ROAD are explained in
the String Edits chapter. The STRING - TO ROAD command is explained in the
chapter titled Open Pit Design.

Interpolate Elevation - (fe)

This command is used to create a 3 D drive outline strings from a 2 D drive outline
string and an ‘elevation string’. The ‘elevation string’ could be composed of points
defined by surveyed spot heights along the floor or back of the drive.

To demonstrate this command first use ERASE - ALL STRINGS (eal) to clear the
screen of data, then define a ‘drive outline’ in plan view using STRING - NEW
(ns).

Underground Design M-13

 Use the PLANE - BY 2 POINTS (2) command to view a vertical section down the
centre of the drive string. Use STRING - NEW to create an ‘elevation string’,
which we will assume is created from spot elevation values along a drive. You
should be able to see the first string below the elevation string.

Select the drive outline string and then select the INTERPOLATE ELEVATION
(fe) command. Use SET - VIEW (vi) to get an isometric view of the strings.

M-14 GUIDE
The Drive Linking Sub Menu
The commands in the previous section are to do with creating drive centre lines.
The commands in this section are used to create 3D wireframe drive shapes around
those centre lines.

Setup Menu
Select the SETUP to see the following menu.

Underground Design M-15

 These commands allow you to alter the default colours of various strings and
control the automatic display/creation of strings.

Colour - Section (csc)

This command sets the colour of underground cross-sectional perimeters, that may
be created when using the commands LINK BY - CENTRELINES or LINK BY -
SECTIONS. Sections will not be created unless the CREATE - SECTIONS
toggle is on. The colour number may be typed or the logical colour name entered,
e.g. ‘red’.

Colour - Wall (wc)

This command is used to set the colour of underground wall strings, that may be
created when using the commands LINK BY - CENTRELINES or LINK BY -
SECTIONS. Wall strings will not be created unless the CREATE - WALL
STRINGS toggle is on. The colour number may be typed or the logical colour
name entered, e.g. ‘red’.

Colour - Back (rc2)

This command is used to set the colour of the underground back strings, that may
be created when using the commands LINK BY - CENTRELINES or LINK BY -
SECTIONS. Sections will not be created unless the CREATE - WALL STRINGS
toggle is on. The colour number may be typed or the logical colour name entered,
e.g. ‘red’.

Create - Sections (tdx)

If the CREATE-SECTIONS toggle is turned on, when you use LINK BY -
CENTRELINES or LINK BY - SECTIONS, yellow cross section strings will be
created at every point along the drive control string.

Create - Wall Strings (twss)

If CREATE - WALL STRINGS is toggled on, green floor strings are created on
either side of the drive control string. A brown roof or back string is created
directly above the drive control string. This feature is particularly useful for
generating drive floor outlines.

Arc Segment length (asl)

The arc generated using the CENTRELINE - CREATE command is made up of
short string segments. The length of these segments can be controlled using this
command.

Drive Evaluation (tde)

DRIVE EVALUATION will only work if a model is in memory. It works with
LINK BY - CENTRELINES or LINK BY - SECTIONS. This feature allows the
drive wireframe shape to be evaluated in the same way as EVAL. W’FRAME
(evw) in the Mine Design Tools section. This is a powerful feature if you are
designing development in ore, as it enables you to create a report of tonnes and
grade for your design.

M-16 GUIDE
 Select Cross Section (sx)
Before you create any drive wireframes, you must set up the default cross section
shape with SELECT CROSS SECTION (sx). Selecting this command invokes a
dialogue box:

You can select any of three drive cross sections to use: circular, arched or
rectangular by clicking on the relevant button. You can change the width, height
and arch radius (for arched cross-sections) by clicking on the relevant button and
typing in a value. You must then press the return key.

In any of the Guide dialogue boxes, if you select a button with the mouse, you must press ‘enter’ to
continue, even if you don’t type in a new value.

The CONTROL STRING H button controls the centre line string height in
whatever units you are using. This is represented by the position of the white cross
in the cross section window. The centre line string height affects how the cross
section is ‘hung onto’ the centre line string.

To save a cross section or a set of cross sections, click on the SAVE button. You
will be prompted for the name of a file to store the cross sections.

Enter drive cross-section file name ....[ ]:xsec

To save more cross sections, just create each one and then click on the SAVE
button.

Underground Design M-17

 To cycle through the saved sections use the NEXT and PREV buttons. As you
cycle through the sections, you will see the NUMBER button showing the number
of the section within the file.

To access another set of cross sections contained in another file, exit the SELECT
X-SECTION dialogue box by clicking on ACCEPT or CANCEL. Then close the
existing file using CLOSE FILE (clf).

Enter name of file to be closed [ ]:xsec

Finally click on SELECT X-SECTION again and use the GET button to open the
other file:

Enter drive cross-section file name ....[ ]:xsec2

The cross section file is just a string file and can be opened with OPEN FILE (of)
and edited with the normal string editing tool to create other cross section shapes.

Link By - Centrelines (lc)

LINK BY - CENTRELINES (lc) is the most useful command in the menu.
Before you use it, set up a default cross section shape with SELECT CROSS
SECTION (sx), and digitise a string, either with STRING - NEW (ns) or
CENTRELINE - CREATE (car).

The first time you invoke this command in a session Guide will prompt for the
name of a drive statistics file. You can either use an existing drive statistics file or
create a new one. This file will contain the length and tonnes of the drives created
plus various other parameters, including any extra attributes you may have set up
on the string.

Enter drive statistics file name ..... [ - ]: drvstat

Enter density for drive [ ]: 2.7

The density value is used in the calculation of drive tonnage.

If you have no string selected, Guide will ask you to ‘Select drive control string’.
When you do, Guide will create a 3D wireframe of the drive shape along the
chosen string. The cross-sectional shape of this development will be as defined by
SELECT CROSS SECTION (sx) and the tonnes, volume, length etc of the drive
will be contained in the drive statistics file. Use the TOOLS - LIST FILE (lf)
command in the DATA MANAGEMENT menu to examine this file.

M-18 GUIDE
 Using Drive Evaluation (tde)
Make sure that the DRIVE EVALUATION toggle in the SETUP menu is on.
Open a model file and create a drive centre line string within the model using
CENTRELINE - CREATE (car).

Select LINK - CENTRELINES (lc). You will be prompted for the Mining block
identifier. This is simply a numeric code. You either press the enter key to accept
the default value, or you can use a meaningful number such as the Easting or
Northing of the drive or the level number.

Drive evaluation against Block model data.

Enter Mining block identifier .................. [ 1.0 ]:

Guide than gives a report of volume and tonnes, calculated from the DENSITY
field within the model, or from the default density entered when you opened the
model file. Weighted averages are calculated for all numeric fields in the model.

Volume of model within block . . . . . . 2126.0

Volume of wireframe . . . . . . . . . . . 2125.9
Volume difference . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.0

Total tonnage of block . . . . . . . . . 2126.0

Density of block . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.0

ROCK AU NO.SAMP LGPIT1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weighted average 5.502 2.212 58.473 1.000
Tonnes 2125.959 1812.045 1812.045 2125.959

Finally you are prompted to accept the evaluation. If you accept the default of ‘Y’,
you will be prompted for a results file name.

Accept evaluation [Y]/N ..... [Y ]:

Enter results file name ...... [ ]: resfile
1 records in results file RESFILE

Underground Design M-19

 Outline - Link Single (lso)
This command enables you to create a 3D drive shape from a 2D floor string. It
only makes sense to use this command on plan strings. A shape like the one shown
below might come from a survey file of floor strings of actual development.

Select OUTLINE - LINK SINGLE. You will be prompted for a vertical

projection distance.

Enter string projection distance [ ]: 4.5

Guide will then project the selected string up by the projection distance and create
a wireframe between the projection and the original string.

M-20 GUIDE
Outline - Link Pair (lo)
This command links two strings. It’s effect is the same as using the wireframe
commands LINK-STRINGS (lst) and ENDLINK-STRING (eli) on the two
strings. To demonstrate the command, create 2 strings as shown using STRING-
NEW (ns). Make sure that the strings are on different planes.

Use OUTLINE - LINK PAIR (lo). You are prompted to ‘Select first drive wall
outline’. Click on one of the strings, you are then prompted to ‘Select second
drive wall outline’. Click on the other string. You should see a result like this:

Underground Design M-21

 Limit Commands
The ‘LIMIT’ commands are explained in the DTM section of the chapter titled
Wireframing.

Link By - Sections (ld)

Section - Assign (ax)
These commands can be used together in situations where cross - sections vary
along a drive, for instance a workshop or fuel bay. Use STRING-NEW (ns) to
create a line like this.

Assume we want a 4 x 4 m rectangular cross section along the drive except

between points B and C, where the cross section opens out to 8m wide.

M-22 GUIDE
First set up a cross-section definition file containing the two different sections
required. This is not compulsory but is does make switching between section
profiles much easier.

1. Use SELECT CROSS SECTION (sx) to set up the rectangular cross

section of 4 x 4m.

2. Click on the SAVE button and save the section to a file xsec.

3. Set up a section which is 8 x 4m.

4. Click on the SAVE button to save this section.

5. Use the PREV button to go back to the 4x4m profile and select
ACCEPT.

6. Select the SECTION - ASSIGN (ax) command and snap to points A and
D using the right hand mouse button.

7. Select the SELECT CROSS SECTION (sx) command and click on the
NEXT button to display the second profile (8x4). Select ACCEPT.

8. Select the SECTION - ASSIGN (ax) command and snap to points B and
C using the right hand mouse button.

You should end up with something like this:

Underground Design M-23

 The command LINK BY - SECTIONS will be used to create the wireframe. The
selected profile (set in SELECT CROSS SECTION) will be created at each point.
Therefore to between points A - B and between C - D you must ensure that the
default profile is the 4x4m section.
9. Use the SELECT CROSS SECTION (sx) command and use the PREV
button to select the 4x4m profile.
10. Select the LINK BY - SECTION (lde) command. You are asked to select
the drive control string followed by the first section (select the section at
point A). Select point B for the end section.
11. Repeat this step to link between points C and D.
12. Use the SELECT CROSS SECTION command to select the 8x4m
profile.
13. Repeat the LINK BY - SECTION procedure to link between points B and
C.

M-24 GUIDE
Section - Align (ae)
The SECTION - ALIGN command allows you to define the orientation of the
cross-section. This is useful for creating neatly abutting drives.
Make sure that the CREATE - WALL STRINGS toggle is on and create a
wireframe to represent the main drive. Change the SNAP MODE to ‘lines’ and
snap the end of the string representing a crosscut to the wall string. Remember to
change the snap mode back to POINTS.

Underground Design M-25

 Select the drive control string (i.e. the crosscut string). Use SECTION - ASSIGN
(ae) to assign a cross section to point A.
Select SECTION - ALIGN (ae). You are asked to “Select point for cross
section”. Snap to point B using the right hand mouse button. You are then asked
to ‘Indicate cross-section orientation’. Using the right hand mouse button snap to
the nearest point on along the edge of the main drive.
You will see the new cross-section aligned to the main drive, and elongated to
preserve the true width of the crosscut.

Use the LINK BY - SECTIONS (ld) to link the crosscut.

M-26 GUIDE
Fit Within (fx)
This command allows you to fit any number of drive coss-sections to underground
survey data. You need to have a survey floor perimeter and a survey back (or
roof) string. The back string may be a single string along the centreline of the
drive or a perimeter along the shoulders of the drive.
Generate a dummy floor perimeter and back centreline string as shown.

Underground Design M-27

 Select a cross section using the CREATE CROSS SECTION (sx) command. You
are prompted to select the floor perimeter followed by the back string. You must
then snap to points along either the floor or back strings to indicate where you
want the cross sections to be positioned. Notice that the shape of the cross section
will change to fit the survey strings.

You can then use the LINK - STRINGS (lst) command (Wireframing section) to
link the cross sections and create a wireframe model of the drive.

M-28 GUIDE