In deep underground mines, a successful development plan to exploit deeper mining levels is highly dependent on adequate consideration of the magnitude and orientation of situ stress state. However, significant uncertainties are associated with the estimation of these parameters. The in-situ stress values that are used in the evaluation of the stability of underground structures in each mine strongly depends on the results of measurement of the stresses as function of the mine depth and the methodology used for the interpretation of the data as well as engineering judgment. These interpretations could produce several scenarios for estimating the stresses in a mine. Each scenario could yield different stability assessment results some of which were not normally used in the current mine stability study. Three different scenarios for estimating stress at the Niobec underground mine (Quebec, Canada) were determined based on the data available from previous stress measurement campaigns. Numerical modeling (FLAC3D) was used to evaluate the potential of brittle, tensile and compressive failure for the vertical transverse and rib pillars. The results demonstrate that in spite of the development of extensive brittle and tensile damage zones within the rock mass, no major brittle or tensile failure is expected to occur at the considered mining levels based on all three stress scenarios. Moreover, meaningful differences in the stability analysis results between the three stress scenarios highlight the importance of appropriate selection of stress estimation approaches in planning deeper mine levels.

在深部地下矿山中，开发更深层开采水平的成功开发计划在很大程度上取决于对原位应力状态的大小和方向的充分考虑。但是，这些参数的估计存在很大的不确定性。评估每个矿井中地下结构的稳定性所使用的地应力值在很大程度上取决于作为矿井深度的函数的应力测量结果以及用于解释数据的方法以及工程判断。这些解释可能会产生几种方案来估算矿井中的应力。每个方案可能会产生不同的稳定性评估结果，其中一些在当前的矿山稳定性研究中通常不使用。根据以前的应力测量活动提供的数据，确定了三种估算Niobec地下矿山（加拿大魁北克）应力的方案。数值建模（FLAC3D）用于评估垂直横筋和肋筋的脆性，拉伸和压缩破坏的可能性。结果表明，尽管在岩体中形成了广泛的脆性和拉伸破坏区域，但根据这三种应力情景，在考虑的开采水平下，预计不会发生重大的脆性或拉伸破坏。此外，在这三个压力情景的稳定性分析结果有意义的差异凸显压力估计的适当选择的重要性在规划矿井更深层次的方法。