Full Length ArticlePrinciples of rockbolting design
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Dr. Charlie C. Li is professor of rock mechanics for civil and mining engineering at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Norway. Li received his BSc degree in 1981 and MSc degree in 1984, both in geological engineering, in Central South Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (at present Central South University), and his PhD in mining rock mechanics at Lulea University of Technology (LUT), Sweden, in 1993. After that, he was employed as a research associate and then associate professor at LUT until 2000. He worked then in the Kristineberg mine of Boliden Mineral Ltd., Sweden, as a mining engineer for 4 years. He has been the professor of rock mechanics at NTNU since 2004, in charge of the teaching and research program in the subject of rock mechanics as well as the rock mechanics laboratory. He is a member of the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences (NTVA). He is the European Vice-President of the International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM) for the term of office 2015–2019. Prof. Li's research interests are in rock failure, stability analysis of underground spaces, ground support and application of rock mechanic principles for underground space design. He carried out thorough studies of rock behaviour under compression in laboratory. He made numerous field observations of rock failure and responses of rock support elements in mines and other types of underground excavations. After a thorough study of the performances of rockbolts, he proposed analytical models for the rockbolts currently used in rock engineering practise, which have been acknowledged in the circle of rock mechanics. Based on the models, Li identified the shortcomings of the conventional rockbolts and pointed out that rockbolts, as well as other support elements, must be not only strong and but also deformable, i.e. energy-absorbing, in high in situ rock conditions. He invented a new type of energy-absorbing rockbolt, called D-Bolt in 2006. The D-Bolt is as strong as a fully encapsulated rebar bolt but its deformation capacity is significantly higher than that of the rebar bolt. The D-Bolt is particularly powerful in combating stress-induced rockburst and squeezing. The bolt has been used worldwide in many deep mines and also in hydropower projects, for instance in Sweden, Canada, USA, Chile, Australia and South Africa, to combat instability problems of rockburst. Dr. Li has practical expertise in ground support in difficult rock conditions (for instance, rock squeezing and rockburst), stability analysis of underground caverns and in situ measurements and interpretation. His current research interests are on understanding of rockburst and theories and practise of dynamic rock support.
Peer review under responsibility of Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.