Rockburst experiences in Cheves Hydropower Project, Perú

Abstract

Cheves Hydropower Project is located in Peru and consists in approximately 20 km of tunnels and two caverns. Most of the Headrace tunnel has been excavated in igneous and metamorphic rocks with high overburden. A high number of stress release events took place during the excavation of the tunnels and caverns. The intensity of these events varies from acoustic emission to a violent rockburst. The paper describes the methodology developed to mitigate the rockburst hazard.