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Mine Safety Bund Geometry Calculator

Simple calculator to determine the required geometry to construct a compliant safety bund on a mine site.

๐Ÿงฎ Calculator

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๐Ÿ” What is a Mine Safety Bund?

A safety bund (also commonly referred to as a berm, safety bundwall, bundwall or windrow), is a triangular or trapezoidal shaped mound of earthen material used to redirect wandering vehicles and/or to absorb some of the impact energy if a vehicle hits them. They are a standard safety feature on a haulroad, waste/spoil dump crest, pit wall crest, and other areas where a vertical drop or collision hazard exists. They are also commonly constructed to demarcate nominated pit wall standoff distances in active mining areas.

โฑ๏ธ Why and When to Use this Calculator?

Mining and geotechnical engineers will typically request a mine safety bund be constructed to a specific height. This free and simple calculator allows mining equipment operators and supervisors to easily calculate the required base width of a typical triangular-shaped bund to ensure compliance with Standard Operating Procedures and Safety Health Management System requirements.

Key Applications:

  • Haul Road Safety: Ensure haul road edges have properly sized safety bunds
  • Dump Edge Protection: Calculate appropriate bund dimensions for waste dump crests
  • Compliance Verification: Quickly check if existing bunds meet safety requirements
  • Construction Planning: Determine material quantities needed for bund construction

๐Ÿ“ Bund Design Principles

Safety bunds are typically designed based on the following principles:

Height Requirements:

The minimum height of a safety bund should be at least equal to the radius of the largest tyre using the roadway or area.

Minimum Bund Height = Tyre Radius

Base Width Calculation:

The base width depends on the required height and the angle of repose of the material used.

Base Width = 2 ร— Height รท tan(Angle of Repose)

๐Ÿ“š Additional Resources

For more information, users are encouraged to read the Recognised Standard 19 - Design and Construction of Mine Roads, published by the Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy.

Related Safety Standards:

  • MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration) guidelines for berms and guardrails
  • ISO 19296:2018 - Mining - Mobile machines working underground - Machine safety
  • Local mining regulations specific to your jurisdiction

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