STUDYING TIME DOMAIN REFLECTOMETRY TO PREDICT SLOPE FAILURE IN OPEN-CAST MINES

Abstract

Abstract: In this study, time domain reflectometry (TDR) is engaged to observe coaxial cable deformity caused by slope movements. Laboratory shear tests were executed to measure the deformity magnitude caused by shear failure using two coaxial cables—RG-6 and RG-213. Two assessments are performed in laboratory testing, to determine the deformity magnitude—shear test and open-cast (OC) model. For shear test, two regression methods are computed—linear and quadratic regression. The quadratic regression results show more effective positive correlation with shear deformity as compared to linear regression results. For RG-6 and RG-213 cables, the average highest magnitude of coaxial cable deformity by shear failure is 11 mm and 14 mm, respectively, which are equivalent to reflection coefficient (RC) of 0.49 and 0.050 for RG-6 and RG-213, respectively, beyond which the cable breached. Field tests are also performed, which concluded that TDR is the most preferable technique to monitor slopes of OC mines. © 2020, Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.