Coal bumps have long been a safety hazard in coal mines, and even after decades of research, the exact mechanics that cause coal bumps are still not well understood. Therefore, coal bumps are still difficult to predic...Coal bumps have long been a safety hazard in coal mines, and even after decades of research, the exact mechanics that cause coal bumps are still not well understood. Therefore, coal bumps are still difficult to predict and control. The LaModel program has a long history of being used to effectively analyze displacements and stresses in coal mines, and with the recent addition of energy release and local mine stiffness calculations, the LaModel program now has greatly increased capabilities for evaluating coal bump potential. This paper presents three recent case histories where coal stress, pillar safety factor, energy release rate and local mine stiffness calculations in LaModel were used to evaluate the pillar plan and cut sequencing that were associated with a number of bumps. The first case history is a longwall mine where a simple stress analysis was used to help determine the limiting depth for safely mining in bump-prone ground. The second case history is a room-and-pillar retreat mine where the LaModel analysis is used to help optimize the pillar extraction sequencing in order to minimize the frequent pillar line bumps. The third case history is the Crandall Canyon mine where an initial bump and then a massive pillar collapse/bump which killed 6 miners is extensively back-analyzed. In these case histories, the calculation tools in LaModel are ultimately shown to be very effective for analyzing various aspects of the bump problem, and in the conclusions, a number of critical insights into the practical calculation of mine failure and stability developed as a result of this research are presented.展开更多
Several questions have emerged in relation to deep cover bleeder entry performance and support loading:how well do current modeling procedures calculate the rear abutment extent and loading? Does an improved understan...Several questions have emerged in relation to deep cover bleeder entry performance and support loading:how well do current modeling procedures calculate the rear abutment extent and loading? Does an improved understanding of the rear abutment extent warrant a change in standing support in bleeder entries? To help answer these questions and to determine the current utilization of standing support in bleeder entries, four bleeder entries at varying distances from the startup room were instrumented,observed, and numerically modeled.This paper details observations made by NIOSH researchers in the bleeder entries of a deep cover longwall panel—specifically data collected from instrumented pumpable cribs, observations of the conditions of the entries, and numerical modeling of the bleeder entries during longwall extraction.The primary focus was on the extent and magnitude of the abutment loading experienced by the standing support.As expected, the instrumentation of the standing supports showed very little loading relative to the capacity of the standing supports—less than 23 Mg load and 2.54 cm convergence.The Flac3D program was used to evaluate these four bleeder entries using previously defined modeling and input parameter estimation procedures.The results indicated only a minor increase in load during the extraction of the longwall panel.The model showed a much greater increase in stress due to the development of the gateroad and bleeder entries, with about 80% of the increase associated with development and 20% with longwall extraction.The Flac3D model showed very good correlation between expected gateroad loading during panel extraction and that expected based on previous studies.The results of this study showed that the rear abutment stress experienced by this bleeder entry design was minimal.The farther away from the startup room, the lower the applied load and smaller the convergence in the entry if all else is held constant.Finally, the numerical modeling method used in this study was capable of replicating the expected and measured results near seam.展开更多
Estimating the overall floor stability in a coal mine using deterministic methods which require complex engineering properties of floor strata is desirable,but generally it is impractical due to the difficulty of gath...Estimating the overall floor stability in a coal mine using deterministic methods which require complex engineering properties of floor strata is desirable,but generally it is impractical due to the difficulty of gathering essential input data.However,applying a quantitative methodology to describe floor quality with a single number provides a practical estimate for preliminary assessment of floor stability.The coal mine floor rating(CMFR)system,developed by the University of New South Wales(UNSW),is a rockmass classification system that provides an indicator for the competence of floor strata.The most significant components of the CMFR are uniaxial compressive strength and discontinuity intensity of floor strata.In addition to the competence of the floor,depth of cover and stress notch angle are input parameters used to assess the preliminary floor stability.In this study,CMFR methodology was applied to a Central Appalachian Coal Mine that intermittently experienced floor heave.Exploratory drill core data,overburden maps,and mine plans were utilized for the study.Additionally,qualitative data(failure/non-failure)on floor conditions of the mine entries near the core holes was collected and analyzed so that the floor quality and its relation to entry stability could be estimated by statistical methods.It was found that the current CMFR classification system is not directly applicable in assessing the floor stability of the Central Appalachian Coal Mine.In order to extend the applicability of the CMFR classification system,the methodology was modified.A calculation procedure of one of the CMFR classification system’s components,the horizontal stress rating(HSR),was changed and new parameters were added to the HSR.展开更多
The Analysis of Retreat Mining Pillar Stability(ARMPS) program was developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH) to help the United States coal mining industry to design safe retreat ro...The Analysis of Retreat Mining Pillar Stability(ARMPS) program was developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH) to help the United States coal mining industry to design safe retreat room-and-pillar panels. ARMPS calculates the magnitude of the in-situ and mining-induced loads by using geometrical computations and empirical rules. In particular, the program uses the "abutment angle" concept in calculating the magnitude of the abutment load on pillars adjacent to a gob. In this paper, stress measurements from United States and Australian mines with different overburden geologies with varying hard rock percentages were back analyzed. The results of the analyses indicated that for depths less than 200 m, the ARMPS empirical derivation of a 21° abutment angle was supported by the case histories;however, at depths greater than 200 m, the abutment angle was found to be significantly less than 21°. In this paper, a new equation employing the panel width to overburden depth ratio is constructed for the calculation of accurate abutment angles for deeper mining cases. The new abutment angle equation was tested using both ARMPS2010 and La Model for the entire case history database of ARMPS2010. The new abutment angle equation to estimate the magnitude of the mining-induced loads used together with the La Model program was found to give good classification accuracies compared to ARMPS2010 for deep cover cases.展开更多
文摘Coal bumps have long been a safety hazard in coal mines, and even after decades of research, the exact mechanics that cause coal bumps are still not well understood. Therefore, coal bumps are still difficult to predict and control. The LaModel program has a long history of being used to effectively analyze displacements and stresses in coal mines, and with the recent addition of energy release and local mine stiffness calculations, the LaModel program now has greatly increased capabilities for evaluating coal bump potential. This paper presents three recent case histories where coal stress, pillar safety factor, energy release rate and local mine stiffness calculations in LaModel were used to evaluate the pillar plan and cut sequencing that were associated with a number of bumps. The first case history is a longwall mine where a simple stress analysis was used to help determine the limiting depth for safely mining in bump-prone ground. The second case history is a room-and-pillar retreat mine where the LaModel analysis is used to help optimize the pillar extraction sequencing in order to minimize the frequent pillar line bumps. The third case history is the Crandall Canyon mine where an initial bump and then a massive pillar collapse/bump which killed 6 miners is extensively back-analyzed. In these case histories, the calculation tools in LaModel are ultimately shown to be very effective for analyzing various aspects of the bump problem, and in the conclusions, a number of critical insights into the practical calculation of mine failure and stability developed as a result of this research are presented.
文摘Several questions have emerged in relation to deep cover bleeder entry performance and support loading:how well do current modeling procedures calculate the rear abutment extent and loading? Does an improved understanding of the rear abutment extent warrant a change in standing support in bleeder entries? To help answer these questions and to determine the current utilization of standing support in bleeder entries, four bleeder entries at varying distances from the startup room were instrumented,observed, and numerically modeled.This paper details observations made by NIOSH researchers in the bleeder entries of a deep cover longwall panel—specifically data collected from instrumented pumpable cribs, observations of the conditions of the entries, and numerical modeling of the bleeder entries during longwall extraction.The primary focus was on the extent and magnitude of the abutment loading experienced by the standing support.As expected, the instrumentation of the standing supports showed very little loading relative to the capacity of the standing supports—less than 23 Mg load and 2.54 cm convergence.The Flac3D program was used to evaluate these four bleeder entries using previously defined modeling and input parameter estimation procedures.The results indicated only a minor increase in load during the extraction of the longwall panel.The model showed a much greater increase in stress due to the development of the gateroad and bleeder entries, with about 80% of the increase associated with development and 20% with longwall extraction.The Flac3D model showed very good correlation between expected gateroad loading during panel extraction and that expected based on previous studies.The results of this study showed that the rear abutment stress experienced by this bleeder entry design was minimal.The farther away from the startup room, the lower the applied load and smaller the convergence in the entry if all else is held constant.Finally, the numerical modeling method used in this study was capable of replicating the expected and measured results near seam.
基金The authors would like to thank Dr.Serkan Saydam and Dr.Sungsoon Mo from the University of New South Wales for their kind support and guidance during the preparation of this manuscript.
文摘Estimating the overall floor stability in a coal mine using deterministic methods which require complex engineering properties of floor strata is desirable,but generally it is impractical due to the difficulty of gathering essential input data.However,applying a quantitative methodology to describe floor quality with a single number provides a practical estimate for preliminary assessment of floor stability.The coal mine floor rating(CMFR)system,developed by the University of New South Wales(UNSW),is a rockmass classification system that provides an indicator for the competence of floor strata.The most significant components of the CMFR are uniaxial compressive strength and discontinuity intensity of floor strata.In addition to the competence of the floor,depth of cover and stress notch angle are input parameters used to assess the preliminary floor stability.In this study,CMFR methodology was applied to a Central Appalachian Coal Mine that intermittently experienced floor heave.Exploratory drill core data,overburden maps,and mine plans were utilized for the study.Additionally,qualitative data(failure/non-failure)on floor conditions of the mine entries near the core holes was collected and analyzed so that the floor quality and its relation to entry stability could be estimated by statistical methods.It was found that the current CMFR classification system is not directly applicable in assessing the floor stability of the Central Appalachian Coal Mine.In order to extend the applicability of the CMFR classification system,the methodology was modified.A calculation procedure of one of the CMFR classification system’s components,the horizontal stress rating(HSR),was changed and new parameters were added to the HSR.
基金This study was sponsored by the Alpha Foundation for the Improvement of Mine Safety and Health,Inc.(ALPHA FOUNDATION).The views,opinions and recommendations expressed herein are solely those of the authors and do not imply any endorsement by the ALPHA FOUNDATION,its Directors and staff.The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the author(s)and do not necessarily represent the official position of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health,Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Mention of any company or product does not constitute endorsement by NIOSH.
文摘The Analysis of Retreat Mining Pillar Stability(ARMPS) program was developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH) to help the United States coal mining industry to design safe retreat room-and-pillar panels. ARMPS calculates the magnitude of the in-situ and mining-induced loads by using geometrical computations and empirical rules. In particular, the program uses the "abutment angle" concept in calculating the magnitude of the abutment load on pillars adjacent to a gob. In this paper, stress measurements from United States and Australian mines with different overburden geologies with varying hard rock percentages were back analyzed. The results of the analyses indicated that for depths less than 200 m, the ARMPS empirical derivation of a 21° abutment angle was supported by the case histories;however, at depths greater than 200 m, the abutment angle was found to be significantly less than 21°. In this paper, a new equation employing the panel width to overburden depth ratio is constructed for the calculation of accurate abutment angles for deeper mining cases. The new abutment angle equation was tested using both ARMPS2010 and La Model for the entire case history database of ARMPS2010. The new abutment angle equation to estimate the magnitude of the mining-induced loads used together with the La Model program was found to give good classification accuracies compared to ARMPS2010 for deep cover cases.
