Investigating the dynamic-load demand on support systems using passive monitoring data

•Passive monitoring of support performance during rockbursts was conducted.•Rockbursts were clustered based on seismic source mechanisms and stress conditions.•The peak particle velocity assesses the dynamic-load demand from fault-slip events.•The severity of strain bursts is independent of the peak particle velocity.•The major principal stress influences the severity of strain bursts.

Passive monitoring of rock support performance during rockbursts was conducted at three deep underground mines. A comprehensive database was constructed of 209 seismic events and the associated damage to support systems at 323 mine locations. The reported rockbursts occurred between January 2000 and September 2013. The majority of pertinent information was obtained through on-site field assessments, seismic system records, and numerical elastic stress modeling. A multi-variate statistical analysis was conducted to identify patterns in the data and to quantify the demand on support systems. This work assessed the quality of collected information and evaluated the dynamic-load demand on support systems in three seismically active mines.