Tutorial Questions

BASIC BENCH GEOMETRY CALCULATIONS

Profile Pit design

All bench angle calculations can be found with the basic formula
T
tan h
Tw
Where tan the angle under investigation, Th is is the total height and Tw the total width; the following demonstrate
various applications of this.

Problem: 1
No. of benches = 9
Bench face angle =69
Safety bench width = 10m

Assume bench height of 20m. Then find out ultimate pit slope angle of the slope.
To determine overall slope angle, find the total height of the benches:

Th nh 9 20 180m

1
Then W 1, (see Figure 7.7): W1 20 7.7m
tan 69

Then Total Width: Tw n 1S B nW1 8 10 9 7.7 = 149.3m

Th
tan 1
180
1 tan 1 50.32
Tw 149.3

Problem: 2 The overall slope angle, 1, if you introduce a ramp of 27 m width on the 5th bench
The overall slope angle, 1, if you introduce a ramp of 27 m width on the 5th bench

Th nh 9 20 180m

Then Total Width: Tw n 2S B nW1 wr 7 10 9 7.7 27 = 166.3m

Th
tan 1
180
1 tan 1 47.26
Tw 166.3

Problem: 3 The inter-ramp angles, above ramp IR1 , and below rampIR2 ,

Above ramp IR1 ,

Th nh 4 20 80m
Then Total Width: Tw n 1S B nW1 3 10 4 7.7 = 60.8m
Th
tan 1
80
1 tan 1 52.76
Tw 60.8

Below rampIR2 ,

Th nh 5 20 100m
Then Total Width: Tw n 1S B nW1
4 10 5 7.7 = 78.5m
T 100
1 tan 1 h tan 1 51.8
Tw 78.5
Problem: 4 On the initial design, the overall slope angle if you introduce a working bench only on the 2 nd bench
[assume working bench width of 54m].

On the initial design, the overall slope angle if you introduce a working bench only on the 2 nd bench [assume
working bench width of 54m].

Th nh 9 20 180m
Then Total Width: Tw n 2S B nW1 wb
7 10 9 7.7 54 = 193.3m
T 180
1 tan 1 h tan 1 42.95
Tw 193.3
Problem: 5 On the initial design, the overall slope angle if you introduce a ramp of 27 m width on the 7th bench

On the initial design, the overall slope angle if you introduce a ramp of 27 m width on the 7th bench
Th nh 9 20 180m

Then Total Width: Tw n 2S B nW1 wr

7 10 9 7.7 27 = 166.3m
T 180
1 tan 1 h tan 1 47.26
Tw 166.3
Problem: 6 The inter-ramp angles, above ramp IR1 , and below rampIR2 ,

Above ramp IR1 ,

Th nh 6 20 120m
Then Total Width: Tw n 1S B nW1
5 10 6 7.7 = 96.2m
T 120
1 tan 1 h tan 1 51.28
Tw 96.2

Below rampIR2 ,

Th nh 3 20 60m
Then Total Width: Tw n 1S B nW1
2 10 3 7.7 = 43.1m
T 60
1 tan 1 h tan 1 54.3
Tw 43.1
Final slope angle at the end of pit limit

This is taken to mean ultimate pit configuration, where safety bench widths are made equal to one-third-bench
height.
Problem: 7 Final slope angle at the end of pit limit

This is taken to mean ultimate pit configuration, where safety bench widths are made equal to one-third-bench
height.

1 20
SB H =6.67 = 6.7m
3 3
Th nh 9 20 180m
W1 7.7m
Then Total Width: Tw n 1S B nW1
8 6.7 9 7.7 = 122.9m
Th
tan 1
180
1 tan 1 55.67
Tw 122.9