Company, Capability, Key Personnel

Rock Mechanics Technology Limited (RMT) core business activities encompass consultancy services in the field of mining and tunnelling geomechanics, together with the manufacture and supply of a range of geotechnical instrumentation for in-situ measurements of ground movements and rock stresses. 

RMT specialises in the use of quantitative investigations of rock behaviour, and reinforcement performance, supplemented by computer modelling, to solve geotechnical problems. Particular areas of expertise include tunnel support, pillar behaviour and mine layout design. Our investigation techniques have led to significant advances in the understanding of excavation behaviour and rock reinforcement design in complex stress fields in mines, resulting in improved performance and lower costs. Based on this experience, RMT provides practical and theoretical training in rock reinforcement techniques for mining personnel worldwide.

RMT is part of the IMC Group of Companies, a leading supplier of mining, minerals and energy industry consultancy, with offices worldwide.

RMT employs 25 staff, based at Bretby, Burton-on-Trent, UK. All key staff are qualified to postgraduate level in a range of disciplines allied to geotechnics and are experienced in solving rock mechanics and mining problems in coal, soft rock and hard rock mines. Apart from providing services to the mining industries in the UK, staff have worked for clients throughout Europe, Russia, USA, Canada, India, South Africa, Egypt, Australia and Japan on assignments including rock reinforcement design, pillar design, mine layout and supply of geotechnical instrumentation.

RMT undertakes a significant research and development programme. This allows the company to continually develop its services and investigation techniques. Current research projects include major European Community and HSE funded projects into aspects of coal mine roof reinforcement and layout issues. These projects include collaboration with other European research organisations and mine operators.

On-site facilities at Bretby include instrumentation and testing laboratories. Rock property tests, including tri-axial testing using a 1000 kN stiff test machine, are routinely undertaken. RMT has also developed laboratory-based tests for testing rock reinforcement materials in rock to determine in-situ performance characteristics.

RMT manufactures a wide range of geotechnical instrumentation to meet the needs of monitoring underground rock behaviour. This includes strain-gauged load measuring rockbolts and extensometers to monitor both convergence and dilation, and routine "tell-tales" specifically designed to monitor the stability of rockbolted mine drivages. The company also has exclusive agency agreements for supplying a range of well-respected geotechnical instruments, including stress cells and intrinsically safe sonic probe extensometers and strain meters.

RMT also manufactures and supplies, worldwide, specialist communications equipment for underground rescue and confined space working. The 'm-Comm' intrinsically safe communications system is used by all UK Mines Rescue Service stations and a number of Fire Brigades, and is specified as standard equipment for many civil engineering and inspection activities. This equipment is increasingly valued for its role in providing communications in situations where radios fail to operate.

Stress Measurement by overcoring is a measurement technique in which RMT has unrivalled experience. A range of stress cell types, adapted for measurements in hard or soft rocks at high and low stresses are available for use in this application.

Rock Mechanics Technology staff use 2D and 3D computer modelling as a fundamental tool for the design of tunnel and excavation support and mine pillar and layout design. The Company recognises the need to base models on measured rock properties and stress data and to validate models by underground load measurements.

Longwall strata control is an area in which the company has significant experience. This includes geotechnical aspects of powered support design. Diagnostic analysis of support system performance can be undertaken to optimise effective strata control on longwall faces. Powered support data logging systems are also available for hydraulic pressure and closure monitoring, and a full data analysis service can be provided.

Further details of RMT's technical expertise are given in a Company Bibliography of published works, together with selected abstracts. These can be directly accessed below:

	Click to access Company Bibliography
	Click to access Selected Abstracts

The abstracts provide several, concrete examples of how RMT has assisted clients directly in resolving difficult geotechnical problems, which in many cases has led to significant and sustainable productivity gains.

Senior Professional Staff

RMT's team of multi-disciplinary professional staff has extensive international experience. Each staff member typically has several years experience in 'front-line' production support, providing a highly-valued background to the their disciplinary expertise.

Senior professional staff within Rock Mechanics Technology Limited:

| About Us | Company | Clients | Services | Products | Research | Contacts | News | Main Site |