Ant colony ATTA clustering algorithm of rock mass structural plane in groups

Based on structural surface normal vector spherical distance and the pole stereographic projection Euclidean distance, two distance functions were established. The cluster analysis of structure surface was conducted by the use of ATTA clustering methods based on ant colony piles, and Silhouette index was introduced to evaluate the clustering effect. The clustering analysis of the measured data of Sanshandao Gold Mine shows that ant colony ATTA-based clustering method does better than K-mean clustering analysis. Meanwhile, clustering results of ATTA method based on pole Euclidean distance and ATTA method based on normal vector spherical distance have a great consistence. The clustering results are most close to the pole isopycnic graph. It can efficiently realize grouping of structural plane and determination of the dominant structural surface direction. It is made up for the defects of subjectivity and inaccuracy in icon measurement approach and has great engineering value.