1869 OPTIMIZED GROUND ANCHORS USING GRAPHENE-REINFORCED GFRP: A SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVE TO STEEL IN MINING GEOTECHNICS *R.R. Huayta1, F.A. Elorrieta2 1President of the Technical Committee CT-100 (Ground Support Systems), APGEO, Perú (*Presenting author: rhuayta@ucm.es) 2ITASCA, USA ABSTRACT Ground anchors are essential for ensuring the stability of slopes and excavations in mining and civil engineering. Steel anchors remain standard practice; however, corrosion susceptibility, high density, and associated maintenance demands may limit long-term performance, particularly under aggressive hydrogeological conditions. This study evaluates an alternative Materials 4.0 approach by assessing graphene-reinforced glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) anchors as a potential substitute for conventional steel reinforcement. A comparative analytical framework based on Eurocode 7 principles and Spanish anchoring guidelines is applied to benchmark a reference Freyssinet 500E steel anchor against grapheneenhanced GFRP profiles. The results indicate that the proposed composite concept delivers comparable global stability levels (FS ≈ 1.5) relative to the steel reference (FS ≈ 1.6), while reducing the required tendon cross-sectional area from 106 mm² to 73 mm² (approximately 31% reduction). In addition, the significantly lower density of GFRP (1.83 g/cm³ versus 7.85 g/cm³ for steel) results in an estimated 75% reduction in material mass per unit length, improving strength-to-weight efficiency and facilitating transport and installation, particularly in constrained mining environments. From a sustainability perspective, conventional steel production is associated with emissions of approximately 1.8 tonnes of CO₂ per tonne of material, highlighting the environmental intensity of traditional reinforcement systems. The reduced material demand achieved through geometric and mass optimization suggests potential embodied carbon advantages at scale. Furthermore, the graphene-enhanced polymer matrix provides corrosion resistance and chemical inertness, mitigating deterioration mechanisms that typically affect permanent steel anchoring systems. Based on this quantitative benchmark, graphene-reinforced GFRP anchors emerge as a mechanically viable and durability-oriented alternative for low-maintenance ground support aligned with contemporary sustainability objectives in mining infrastructure. KEYWORDS Ground anchors; Mining geotechnics; GFRP; Graphene nanoparticles; Durability; Eurocode 7 1.INTRODUCTION Long-term reliability of geotechnical infrastructure is a key determinant of safety and operational continuity in mining, across both large open-pit slopes and confined underground excavations. Ground anchoring systems play a central role in stabilising rock and soil masses, controlling deformation, and enabling excavation advance under demanding stress and hydrogeological conditions. Improving the efficiency of ground support therefore requires solutions that reduce maintenance interventions and logistical constraints without compromising the safety margins demanded by modern design practice. High-strength prestressing steel remains the dominant reinforcement material for anchoring because of its tensile capacity and the maturity of design, installation, and quality-control procedures. However, its
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM0Mzk2