Accelerated construction as a new approach for underground-mining pavement: Productivity, cost and environmental study through stochastic modeling

Abstract

Currently, mining is moving from open-pit to underground mining in order to improve its sustainability and as a result, a considerable amount of new concrete pavements are being constructed and maintained inside underground tunnels. Overall, productivity in the construction sector progresses at a much slower pace compared with other industries, and often well below the required pace for mining operations. Portland cement concrete is the most widely-used construction material in underground mining pavement due to its high performance; however, its traditional construction process and required curing period before opening to traffic result in an extended duration for project delivery. The above condition can have negative consequences, including cost overruns, increased risks, and more environmental impacts. An innovative approach to accelerate project delivery is the methodology known as Accelerated Construction. It integrates various techniques and technologies to reduce construction time and user impacts while enhancing and maintaining the safety and quality of the projects. However, no general definition of Accelerated Construction exists which considers its development and application across different kinds of infrastructure. The objective of this article is to identify and describe the Accelerated Construction techniques related to Portland cement concrete, and through the use of stochastic simulation models, compare, analyze, and define the advantages and benefits of this new approach over traditional techniques in the context of underground mining pavements.This paper is a significant contribution to the state-of-the-art providing a generalized definition of Accelerated Construction techniques; at the same time, the paper demostrated that these techniques can be an efficient and effective alternative for underground mining projects, improving mining productivity and costs, and reducing environmental impacts.