Polymer mesh with reinforcing bands for skin control in hard rock mining

1. A polymer mesh for securing to a mine strata for skin control, said polymer mesh comprising:

a plurality of polymer strands spaced from and substantially parallel with one another extending in a machine direction;

a plurality of polymer strands spaced from and substantially parallel with one another extending in a cross-machine direction and intersecting the plurality of machine direction polymer strands to create a mesh structure; and

at least one pair of substantially parallel solid bands having a length that extends in one of the machine and cross-machine directions, each of the solid bands having a width of at least about 2.5 inches, the pair of solid bands being separated by a distance of at least the diameter of an applicable bolt to create an elongated reinforced aperture between the bands, said reinforced aperture being traversed by the plurality of polymer strands that run transverse to the direction of the bands.

2. The polymer mesh as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the pair of solid bands are substantially parallel and separated from one another by a distance of between about 1.5 inches and about 4 inches.

3. The polymer mesh as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the solid bands extend in the machine direction, said reinforced aperture being traversed by the plurality of polymer strands that extend in the cross-machine direction.

4. The polymer mesh as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the solid bands extend in the cross-machine direction, said reinforced aperture being traversed by the plurality of polymer strands that extend in the machine direction.

5. The polymer mesh as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the solid bands extend in both the machine direction and the cross-machine direction.

6. The polymer mesh as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the solid bands are made in a single process with the polymer strands.

7. The polymer mesh as set forth in claim 3 , wherein said polymer mesh includes at least a first pair of bands and a second pair of bands that are substantially parallel with one another, each band having a width of at least about 2.5 inches, with the bands in a given pair being separated by a distance of between about 1.5 inches and about 4 inches to create a reinforced aperture defined by each pair, said first and second pairs of bands being spaced about 4 feet apart.

8. The polymer mesh as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the pair of solid bands is further associated with a third band to create two elongated reinforced apertures, a first elongated aperture between the pair of bands and a second elongated aperture between one band of the pair and the third band.

9. The polymer mesh as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the third band is separated from the one band of the pair by a distance of between about 1.5 inches and about 4 inches.

10. The polymer mesh as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the polymer mesh is formed as a roll and is installed by unrolling the roll during installation or by cutting the roll into sheets which are then installed.

11. A polymer mesh formed as a roll to be secured to a mine roof or side wall for skin control, said polymer mesh comprising:

a plurality of polymer strands spaced from and substantially parallel with one another extending in a machine direction;

a plurality of polymer strands spaced from and substantially parallel with one another extending in a cross-machine direction and intersecting the plurality of machine direction polymer strands to create a mesh structure; and

a plurality of pairs of solid reinforcing bands in spaced relationship in one of the machine and cross-machine directions, each of the solid reinforcing bands in the plurality of pairs having a width of at least about 2.5 inches, and a spaced interval between pairs corresponding with a bolt pattern spacing for installing the polymer mesh and securing a roof or side wall in a hard rock mining application.

12. The polymer mesh as set forth in claim 11 , wherein each band in a pair is substantially parallel with the other band in said pair and separated therefrom by a distance of between about 1.5 inches and about 4 inches to create an elongated reinforced aperture between the bands, said reinforced aperture being traversed by the plurality of polymer strands that run transverse to the direction of the bands.

13. The polymer mesh as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the reinforcing bands are made of polyester, polypropylene, co-polymer or HDPE compounds in a single process with the polymer strands.

14. A polymer mesh for securing in a mine strata for skin control with bolts and associated steel plates, said polymer mesh comprising:

a plurality of polymer strands spaced from and substantially parallel with one another extending in a machine direction;

a plurality of polymer strands spaced from and substantially parallel with one another extending in a cross-machine direction and intersecting the plurality of machine direction polymer strands to create a mesh structure; and

at least one pair of substantially parallel solid bands having a length that extends in one of the machine and cross-machine directions, the pair of solid bands each having a width of at least about 2.5 inches and being separated by a distance sized to accommodate a size of the associated steel plates such that at least two opposed sides of said plates rest on top of the bands.

15. The polymer mesh as set forth in claim 14 , wherein the plates are generally rectangular and all four corners of the plates also rest on top of the bands.