Behrooz Abbasi

Behrooz Abbasi

Associate Professor

Summary

Research interests

  • Stability design for open pit mines including overall pit slope design and maintenance, design of slope angles and catch benches, structural geology modeling, estimating rock mass properties, numerical modeling for slope stability assessment, back-analyzing slope failures, specifying remedial measures (dewatering, buttresses, step-outs, etc.), and slope quality assurance/control (QA/QC).
  • Stability design for underground mines including open-stope, cut-and-fill, room-and-pillar, longwall, and block caving methods, providing guidelines for safe underground mine design (i.e., panel spans, extraction ratios, pillar widths), designing support systems, backfill design, seismic risk assessment, prediction of caveability, fragmentation, recovery, infrastructure stability, and surface subsidence.
  • Fractured modeling using Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) methods for rock mass characterization and modelling of block and panel cave projects for fragmentation prediction.
  • Blast design and assessment for surface and underground mines.
  • Mine safety and health audits identifying potential hazardous conditions and evaluating mining practices for compliance with safety and health laws and regulations.
  • 3D structural and geological model construction for geotechnical data interpretation.

Courses taught

  • World Mineral Economics (MINE 472)
  • Mining and Sustainable Development (MINE 456)
  • Production Engineering in Mines (SIU's MNGE-540)
  • Analysis and Design of Mine Excavations (SIU's MNGE-475)
  • Advance Ground Control (SIU's MNGE-511)
  • Rock Mechanics, Principle and Design (SIU's MNGE-431)

Professional experience

  • Scientist/Mining Engineer, Golder Associates Inc.; Reno, NV; 2015 - 2017
  • Geotechnical Engineer, CH2M HILL; Bellevue, WA; 2014 - 2015
  • Mining/Geomechanics Research and Development (R&D), Itasca Consulting Group, Inc.; Minneapolis, MN; 2012 - 2013

Selected project experience

  • Assessment of the service shaft and loading flask for Jansen Potash mine - creep analysis (Saskatchewan, BHP Billiton):
  • M5 conveyor tunnel bench stabilization support options for Bingham Canyon Copper Mine (Kennecott UTAH):
  • Open pit mine design and slope stability for Bingham Canyon Copper Mine (Kennecott UTAH):
  • Open pit slope stability (Round Mountain Gold Mine):
  • Design criteria, creep analysis and geotechnical model for Jansen Potash mine (Saskatchewan, BHP Billiton):
  • Development and field demonstration of alternative stable mining geometries for set-up and recovery rooms in Illinois (Galatia Coal Mine)
  • Development of improved of roof support systems for Illinois underground mines (Illinois Clean Coal Institute)
  • Design artificial support for mining intersection (Galatia mine)
  • MSE Retaining walls (Seattle highway 405

Education

  • Ph.D. Engineering Science, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 2016
  • M.S. Mining Engineering, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale,IL 2011
  • B.S. Mining Engineering, Tehran Polytechnic University, Tehran, Iran, 2008

Selected publications

  • Behrooz Abbasi, Yoginder P. Chugh, "Identification of Mechanisms of Instability in Three-Way and Four-Way Intersection Using Numerical Analysis ", American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA) 50th, 2016, Houston, TX US.
  • Behrooz Abbasi, Yoginder P. Chugh, Harrold Gurley, "In Mine Measurements and Analysis of Ground Movements While Crossing a Geologic Fault Using Longwall Mining Method," 13th International Congress on Rock Mechanics, March 2015, Canada.
  • Behrooz Abbasi, Matthew Pierce, Edward Dzik, "Barton Approach for Predicting Hoek-Brown Residual Parameters", American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA) 48th, 2014, Minneapolis US.
  • Behrooz Abbasi, Yoginder P. Chugh, "An Analysis of the Possible Fault Displacements Associated with a Retreating Longwall Face in Illinois", American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA) 48th, 2014, Minneapolis US.
  • Behrooz Abbasi, Y.P. Chugh, H. Gurley, "Numerical analysis and Field Study of Ground Control Stability in Setup Rooms and Gate Roads in Longwall Mining," 143rd SME Annual Meeting and Exhibit, February 2014, Salt Lake City, USA.
  • Corbin Carlton, Behrooz Abbasi, Subash Bastola, Yoginder P. Chugh, "Numerical Prediction of Pillar Strength for Coal Mine," 143nd SME Annual Meeting and Exhibit, February 2014, Salt Lake City, USA.
  • Behrooz Abbasi, D. Russell, R. Taghavi, "FLAC3D mesh and zone quality", FLAC/DEM Symposium, Oct. 2013, China.
  • Yoginder P. Chugh, Harrold Gurley, Behrooz Abbasi, "Analyses and Field Performance of Alternate Mining Geometries for Set-up Rooms and  Development Entries in Longwall Mining", 35th International Conference of Safety in Mines Research Institutes, October 2013, London, England.
  • Behrooz Abbasi, Yoginder P. Chugh, "Analyses of Stability of Three-way and Four-way Coal Mine Intersections", 4th Indian Rock Conference, May 2013, India.
  • Yoginder P. Chugh, Harrold Gurley, Behrooz Abbasi, "Design and Field Implementation of Alternative Stable Mining Geometries for Set-up Rooms in Longwall mining", 23rd World Mining Congress and Expo 2013, August 2013, Westmount, Canada.