The optimum rock bolt support system selection by using AHP method

Abstract

Engineers may frequently encounter with the situation that need to
select the optimum option among the alternatives related with mining
and civil operations. Experience and intuition have traditionally been
central to decision-making in mining because of the frequent lack of
quantitative data. Qualitative analysis is based primarily on the
judgment, knowledge and experience of one or more experts.
However, decision-making methods can offer to the engineers to
support their optimum selection for a particular application in the
scientific way. This paper presents an application of the AHP method
to the selection of the optimum rock bolt support system design. For
this purpose nine types of rock bolt which are most practical for
supporting excavations were selected and by comprehensive study of
these rock bolts, twenty six parameters which are effective for
choosing the best kind of rock bolt were presented. By using the
Expert Choice software the appropriate kind of rock bolt is presented
and sensitive analysis for the results was carried out. The result of this
study shows that AHP application can assist the engineers to
effectively evaluate the rock bolt support system alternatives for
excavations.