Dr Chaoshui Xu

Qualifications

Academic Qualifications

PhD, Rock Mechanics, University of Leeds, UK, 1993
MSc, Mining Engineering, Northeast University, China, 1985
BSc, Mining Engineering, Northeast University, China, 1983

Membership and Affiliations

Member, International Society for Rock Mechanics
Member, International Association for Mathematical Geology
Member, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy

Areas of Specialisation

Geostatistics, Resource Evaluation, Rock Fracture Mechanics, Stochastic Rock Fracture Modelling

Experience

Dr Xu has over twenty years of experience working for mining academic institutions and the industry.  His research interests cover many areas including geostatistics, mineral resource evaluation, risk assessment of mining project, optimal mine design, rock fracture mechanics, stochastic rock fracture modelling, particle flow simulation using distinct element method, statistics of porous or fractured media.

A commercial software product, MINVEST - for financial evaluation and risk assessment of mining projects, developed by Dr. Xu and Prof. P. A. Dowd won the top prize of 1995 UK Business Software Challenge Competition. MINVEST has now user licenses worldwide.

Dr Xu, together with Dr. R.J. Fowell, has developed the CCNBD (Cracked Chevron-Notched Brazilian Disc) specimen for rock fracture toughness testing. The research was recognised by the Testing Commission of the ISRM (International Society for Rock Mechanics) and was adopted as an ISRM international suggested method for the measurement of Mode I rock fracture toughness.

Teaching Interests

Courses Taught in 2008/09

Introduction to Mining Engineering, Resource Estimation, Introduction to Geostatistics, Linear Geostatistics, Selection and Recoverability, Computing for Geostatistics, Non-Stationarity in Geostatistics, Multivariate Geostatistics, Non-linear Geostatistics, Geostatistical Simulations.

Research Interests

Current Research Interests

• Application of stochastic rock fracture modelling for hard rock (HDR) geothermal, carbon sequestration and block caving mining operations.
• Fluid flow through fractured rock masses
• Stochastic stability analysis of rock structures
• Ore/waste movement simulation in surface and underground mining operations
• Geostatistical modelling
• Mineral resource evaluations
• Dynamic risk assessment of mining projects
• Optimal mine production scheduling
• Application of rock fracture mechanics in rock excavation engineering

Publications

Major Publications

1.        Xu, C. and Dowd, P. A.  (2009), Three-dimensional stochastic rock fracture simulation, Comps & Geosc. (in press).

2.        Dowd, P.A., Martin, J.A., Xu, C., Fowell, R.J. and Mardia, K.V. (2009) A three-dimensional data set of the fracture network of a granite, International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 46 (5), 811-818.

3.        R. Caulkin, X. Jia, C. Xu, M. Fairweather, R. A. Williams, H. Stitt, M. Nijemeisland, S. Aferka, M. Crine, A. Leonard, D. Toye, and P. Marchot, (2009) Simulations of Structures in Packed Columns and Validation by X-ray Tomography, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 48, (1), 202-213.

4.        Xu, C. and Dowd, P. A. (2009) Conditional simulation of grades controlled by geological indicators. Accepted for presentation at, and publication in the proceedings of the International Symposium on Orebody Modelling and Strategic Mine Planning, Perth, WA, 16-18 March 2009.

5.        Xu, C. and Dowd, P. A. (2008), Plurigaussian simulation of rock fractures, Proceedings of the Eight International Geostatistics Congress, (eds. J.M. Ortiz and X. Emery), pub. Gecamin Ltd., ISBN 978-956-8504-17-5; v. 1, 41-50.

6.        Xu, C., Jia, X., Williams, R.A., Stitt, E.H., Nijemeisland, M., El-Bachir, S., Sederman, A.J. and Gladden, L. F. (2008), Property predictions for packed columns using random and distinct element digital packing algorithms, Computer Modelling in Engineering and Sciences, 23, (2),  117-125.

7.   Xu, C., Dowd, P. A., Mardia, K. V., Fowell, R. J. and Taylor, C. C. (2007) Simulating correlated marked point processes, Journal of Applied Statistics, 34, 9, pp. 1125 – 1134.

8.   Dowd, P. A., Xu, C., Mardia, K. V. and Fowell, R. J. (2007) A comparison of methods for the simulation of rock fractures, Mathematical Geology, 39, pp. 697 – 714.

9.   Mardia, K. V., Nyirongo, V. B., Walder, A. N., Xu, C., Dowd, P. A., Fowell, R. J., Kent, J. T. (2007) Markov Chain Monte Carlo implementation of rock fracture modeling, Mathematical Geology, 39, pp. 355 – 381.

 

10. Xu, C., Dowd, P. A., Mardia, K. V. and Fowell, R. J. (2006) A connectivity index for discrete fracture networks, Mathematical Geology, 38, pp. 611 – 634.

11. Xu, C., Dowd, P., Mardia, K.V. & Fowell, R. J. (2006),  PGSIM: a flexible true plurigaussian code for spatial facies simulations,  Computers and Geosciences 32, (10), 1629-1645.

12. Fowell, R. J., Xu, C. & Dowd, P. (2005), An update in the fracture toughness testing methods related to the chevron-notched Brazilian disk (CCNBD) specimen, Pure and Applied Geophysics, 163, 5-6, pp1047 – 1057.

13. Xu. C., Jia, X. and Williams, R. A. (2005), Use of Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) to facilitate characterization of pore networks in porous media, proceedings of Particulate Systems Analysis 2005, international conference organised by the Royal Society of Chemistry, September 2005, Stratford-upon-Avon, UK.

14. Mardia, K. V., Walder, A. N., Xu, C., Dowd, P.A., Fowell, R. J. and Kent, J. T. (2005), A line finding assignment problem and rock fracture modelling. In: Bayesian Statistics and its Applications, Eds. Upadhaya, S.K., Singh, U. and Dey, D.K.  Anamaya Publisher, New Delhi.

15. Xu, C. and Dowd, P.A. (2003), Optimal construction and visualisation of geological structures, Computers and Geosciences, 29, 761 - 773.

16. Dowd, P.A., Pardo-Igúzquiza, E and Xu, C. (2003), Plurigau: a computer program for simulating spatial facies using the truncated plurigaussian method, Computers and Geosciences, 29, 123-141.

17. Xu, C., Dowd, P., Mardia, K.V. and Fowell, R. J. (2003), Parametric intensity estimation for stochastic fracture modelling, LUMA (Leeds University Mining Associations) Journal, 16, 85-92.

18. Xu, C. and Dowd, P.A. (2001), Orbody modelling by optimal surface reconstruction, Transactions of the Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Section B, 110, B110 - B120.

19. International Society for Rock Mechanics, Commission on Testing Methods (Fowell, R.J., Xu, C., et al.), 1995, Suggested method for determining Mode I fracture toughness using cracked chevron notched Brazilian disc (CCNBD) specimens, Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. & Geo. Abs., 32, No. 1, 57-64.

20. Fowell, R.J. and Xu, C. (1994), The use of cracked Brazilian disc for rock fracture investigations, Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. & Geo. Abs., 31, No. 6, 571-579.

21. Xu, C. and Fowell, R.J. (1994), The SIF evaluation for CCNBD specimens, Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. & Geo. Abs., 31, No. 2, 157-162.

22. Xu, C. and Fowell, R.J. (1994), Experimental validations of CCNBD specimens for rock fracture toughness measurement, LUMA Journal, 12, 57-68.

23. Zhao, X.L., Fowell, R.J., Roegiers, J.-C. and Xu, C. (1994), Discussion: rock fracture toughness determination by the Brazilian test, Engineering Geology, 38, 181 - 184.

24. Fowell, R.J. and Xu, C. (1993), The chevron cracked Brazilian disc test - geometrical considerations for practical rock fracture toughness measurement, Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. & Geo. Abs., 30, No. 7, 821-824.

25. Fowell, R.J. and Xu, C. (1993), An initial probabilistic fracture mechanics approach for rock cutting mechanics, LUMA Journal, 11, 57-69.

Professional Associations

Consulting Activities

Three software packages developed in-house:

MINVEST - financial evaluation and risk assessment for mining projects
Geostatistics for Windows - comprehensive mineral resource evaluation tools
Stochastic Rock Fractures - stochastic fracture modelling for rock masses

are used for consulting works. MINVEST package is also a commercial product and has user licenses worldwide.

Dr. Xu also has close working relationship with Structure Vision Ltd, a UK consulting company specialised in particle packing, particle flow simulation and fluid flow simulation through porous and fractured media.

Entry last updated: Wednesday, 4 Jan 2012