4. RESULTS AND OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE 4.1 Operational Performance Under Production Conditions Following implementation of the reinforced sections, performance was evaluated under normal mining operations using the active haul truck fleet. The objective was to assess whether the mechanically stabilized configuration could maintain trafficability and production continuity under the same loading and climatic conditions that previously caused recurring degradation. Field observations indicated a significant improvement in running surface stability, particularly during and after rainfall events. Reinforced segments exhibited approximately 40% lower rut depth compared with untreated sections, demonstrating the effectiveness of confinement in limiting lateral displacement of granular materials under repeated heavy loading. This reduction in deformation directly influenced operational conditions. In conventional sections, precipitation events commonly resulted in reduced travel speeds, loss of surface uniformity, and increased maintenance demand, leading to measurable decreases in haulage productivity. Historical records showed productivity reductions of approximately 10.7% during rainy periods. After the introduction of multidirectional rigid geogrids, the same operating conditions produced a smaller productivity impact, with reductions limited to approximately 5.1%, indicating improved resilience of the haul road structure to seasonal weather effects. Figure 7 – Percentage of production affected by rain. Operational planning data further demonstrated a decrease in unproductive hours associated with road maintenance and access interruptions, from 2,214 hours to 1,325 hours over comparable monitoring periods. This improvement reflects increased availability of haulage routes and greater continuity in ore transport to the processing facilities.
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