OPTIMIZED GROUND ANCHORS USING GRAPHENEREINFORCED 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 graphene-enhanced 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
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