3
are frequently combined with numerical methods to
address these challenges.
Data, Science, &Information Visualization
Visualizations are crucial for data analysis and informa-
tion extraction whether it uses simple 2D plots that repre-
sent the relation between two variables or whether it uses
numerical methods in mathematical models. There are cru-
cial aspects to consider when analyzing data to ensure it
fulfills its goals whether it ensures safety at an underground
mine or to have a deeper understanding of rock behavior.
As Tukey (1990) mentions for data analysis to be truly ben-
eficial for an engineer or a data analyst, the visualization
should enforce attention by impactful visualizations, give
an easy flow of attention between different variables, and
showcase phenomena and events instead of numbers them-
selves. It is important to consider Tukey’s considerations as
they can be applied to underground geomechanics visual-
izations ensuring safety and further understanding of the
rock mass. For instance, a visualization focusing on safety
should enforce a strong and immediate impact for higher
situational awareness of TARP levels such as in this study.
Utilizing these methods of scientific visualization will bring
attention to the behavior of rock and save time.
Use of Shaders Programs and
Computational Rendering
With advancements in computational graphics and com-
puting powers of personal computers, visualizations can
be utilized in various ways that were not possible before,
including 3D visualizations that consist higher dimensions
and higher variables. Another advancement that utilizes
the graphical processing unit is shader programs. Shaders
are small scripts or even some may say software that runs
parallel on a graphical processing unit to render 3D and
2D scenes and images. Shaders render 3D objects by utiliz-
ing information of a 3D mesh including normal, tangents,
vertices etc. Even though there are other methods and pro-
gramming languages dedicated to developing visualizations,
shaders can be accessed through different applications and
software such as game development engines and 3D model-
ing software which makes them a suitable method to utilize
for this case study.
ANALYSIS AND VISUALIZATIONS OF
QUANTITATIVE ROCK MASS DATA
Some real-world physical and mathematical problems can-
not be solved using analytical methods and do not have
exact solutions. Therefore, these problems need approxi-
mate solutions or answers that clarify the uncertainty. The
behavior of rock mass, especially displacement, and strain
around an opening are some of these physical phenomena
that is challenging to find exact solutions to. This unpre-
dictability and the hardship in quantifying movement and
its analytical relation to the space on the rock mass is dif-
ficult to calculate.
To examine and understand the movement of a rock
mass body around an opening, various numerical meth-
ods can be used, such as Finite Element Models (FEM), in
which rock mass characteristics are used. These numerical
methods are beneficial for preparation and planning of a
mine cycle and developing support systems. However, due
to the unpredictable nature of rock mass and lithology, the
models using these methods need to be calibrated often and
might not represent the current state of rock mass behavior.
Another way to examine and understand the movement of
rock mass is to utilize discrete and continuous data, and/or
3D data obtained in desired frequencies.
Photogrammetry, lidar, and laser scanning technolo-
gies that construct 3D point clouds gives accurate data on
movement surrounding an opening with the precise loca-
tion of the movement as seen in, Patwardhan &Karim
(2024). However, 3D data needs to be acquired in person
or by scanning machinery, such as a drone, and is not yet
fully automated. Processing and managing 3D data are also
cumbersome and require high computation powers due
to the large quantities of data points. Even though these
challenges exist, a systematic approach to using 3D scan-
ning technology for monitoring displacement and strain in
underground mines is still lacking. Utilizing quantitative
displacement and strain data obtained from reliable sen-
sors can be more efficient. In addition, the correct and stra-
tegic placement of sensors around an opening gives data
that can be interpreted using numerical methods. However,
one of the major challenges of monitoring rock behavior
using sensor technologies comes from the large gap in the
industry to utilize visualization of the data. There are many
use cases and research studies in geomechanics that employ
visualizations either through mathematical models or 3D
point cloud data, yet visualization of monitoring data col-
lected from DAQ systems is lacking in the literature. The
lack of visualization in the literature poses significant chal-
lenges for data visualization in underground mines.
Puppala et al. (2018) provide an overview of techniques
for geotechnical visualizations in 2D and 3D and how they
are used to enhance understanding of rock or soil condi-
tions and hazardous conditions. Their overview includes
a 3D visualization of a hydraulic fill dam (Caballero et al.,
2022). They summarize the importance of using visualiza-
tions to understand stability and performance. Providakis
are frequently combined with numerical methods to
address these challenges.
Data, Science, &Information Visualization
Visualizations are crucial for data analysis and informa-
tion extraction whether it uses simple 2D plots that repre-
sent the relation between two variables or whether it uses
numerical methods in mathematical models. There are cru-
cial aspects to consider when analyzing data to ensure it
fulfills its goals whether it ensures safety at an underground
mine or to have a deeper understanding of rock behavior.
As Tukey (1990) mentions for data analysis to be truly ben-
eficial for an engineer or a data analyst, the visualization
should enforce attention by impactful visualizations, give
an easy flow of attention between different variables, and
showcase phenomena and events instead of numbers them-
selves. It is important to consider Tukey’s considerations as
they can be applied to underground geomechanics visual-
izations ensuring safety and further understanding of the
rock mass. For instance, a visualization focusing on safety
should enforce a strong and immediate impact for higher
situational awareness of TARP levels such as in this study.
Utilizing these methods of scientific visualization will bring
attention to the behavior of rock and save time.
Use of Shaders Programs and
Computational Rendering
With advancements in computational graphics and com-
puting powers of personal computers, visualizations can
be utilized in various ways that were not possible before,
including 3D visualizations that consist higher dimensions
and higher variables. Another advancement that utilizes
the graphical processing unit is shader programs. Shaders
are small scripts or even some may say software that runs
parallel on a graphical processing unit to render 3D and
2D scenes and images. Shaders render 3D objects by utiliz-
ing information of a 3D mesh including normal, tangents,
vertices etc. Even though there are other methods and pro-
gramming languages dedicated to developing visualizations,
shaders can be accessed through different applications and
software such as game development engines and 3D model-
ing software which makes them a suitable method to utilize
for this case study.
ANALYSIS AND VISUALIZATIONS OF
QUANTITATIVE ROCK MASS DATA
Some real-world physical and mathematical problems can-
not be solved using analytical methods and do not have
exact solutions. Therefore, these problems need approxi-
mate solutions or answers that clarify the uncertainty. The
behavior of rock mass, especially displacement, and strain
around an opening are some of these physical phenomena
that is challenging to find exact solutions to. This unpre-
dictability and the hardship in quantifying movement and
its analytical relation to the space on the rock mass is dif-
ficult to calculate.
To examine and understand the movement of a rock
mass body around an opening, various numerical meth-
ods can be used, such as Finite Element Models (FEM), in
which rock mass characteristics are used. These numerical
methods are beneficial for preparation and planning of a
mine cycle and developing support systems. However, due
to the unpredictable nature of rock mass and lithology, the
models using these methods need to be calibrated often and
might not represent the current state of rock mass behavior.
Another way to examine and understand the movement of
rock mass is to utilize discrete and continuous data, and/or
3D data obtained in desired frequencies.
Photogrammetry, lidar, and laser scanning technolo-
gies that construct 3D point clouds gives accurate data on
movement surrounding an opening with the precise loca-
tion of the movement as seen in, Patwardhan &Karim
(2024). However, 3D data needs to be acquired in person
or by scanning machinery, such as a drone, and is not yet
fully automated. Processing and managing 3D data are also
cumbersome and require high computation powers due
to the large quantities of data points. Even though these
challenges exist, a systematic approach to using 3D scan-
ning technology for monitoring displacement and strain in
underground mines is still lacking. Utilizing quantitative
displacement and strain data obtained from reliable sen-
sors can be more efficient. In addition, the correct and stra-
tegic placement of sensors around an opening gives data
that can be interpreted using numerical methods. However,
one of the major challenges of monitoring rock behavior
using sensor technologies comes from the large gap in the
industry to utilize visualization of the data. There are many
use cases and research studies in geomechanics that employ
visualizations either through mathematical models or 3D
point cloud data, yet visualization of monitoring data col-
lected from DAQ systems is lacking in the literature. The
lack of visualization in the literature poses significant chal-
lenges for data visualization in underground mines.
Puppala et al. (2018) provide an overview of techniques
for geotechnical visualizations in 2D and 3D and how they
are used to enhance understanding of rock or soil condi-
tions and hazardous conditions. Their overview includes
a 3D visualization of a hydraulic fill dam (Caballero et al.,
2022). They summarize the importance of using visualiza-
tions to understand stability and performance. Providakis