Dynamic failures, or ‘‘bumps", remain an imperative safety concern in underground coal mining, despite significant advancements in engineering controls. The presence of spatially discrete, stiff roof units are ...Dynamic failures, or ‘‘bumps", remain an imperative safety concern in underground coal mining, despite significant advancements in engineering controls. The presence of spatially discrete, stiff roof units are one feature that has been linked to these events. However, an empirical stratigraphic review indicates that no significant difference exists in the relative commonality of discrete units between bumping and non-bumping deposits. Instead an apparent relationship exists between reportable bumping and the overall stiffness of the host rock. However, this initial study is too simplistic to be conclusive; to weight the relative impact of changes in a single variable, such as the thickness or location of sandstone members, it must be examined in isolation—i.e., in a setting where all other variables are held constant.Numerical modelling provides this setting, and the effects of variability in a stiff discrete member in a hypothetical longwall mining scenario are investigated within the context of three stratigraphic ‘‘types",Compliant, Intermediate and Stiff. A modelling experiment examines changes in rupture potential in stiff roof units for each stratigraphic type as discrete unit thickness and location are manipulated through a range of values. Results suggest that the stiff-to-compliant ratio of the host rock has an impact on the relative stress-inducing effects of discrete stiff members. In other words, it is necessary to consider both the thickness and the distance to the seam, within the context of the host rock, to accurately anticipate areas of elevated rupture-induced hazard; acknowledging the presence of a discrete unit within the overburden in general terms is an insufficient indicator of risk. This finding helps to refine our understanding of the role of individual stiff, strong roof members in bumping phenomena, and suggests that a holistic view of overburden lithology and site-specific numerical modelling may be necessary to improve miner safety.展开更多
Design of rib support systems in U.S. coal mines is based primarily on local practices and experience. A better understanding of current rib support practices in U.S. coal mines is crucial for developing a sound engin...Design of rib support systems in U.S. coal mines is based primarily on local practices and experience. A better understanding of current rib support practices in U.S. coal mines is crucial for developing a sound engineering rib support design tool. The objective of this paper is to analyze the current practices of rib control in U.S. coal mines. Twenty underground coal mines were studied representing various coal basins,coal seams,geology,loading conditions,and rib control strategies. The key findings are:(1) any rib design guideline or tool should take into account external rib support as well as internal bolting;(2) rib bolts on their own cannot contain rib spall,especially in soft ribs subjected to significant load—external rib control devices such as mesh are required in such cases to contain rib sloughing;(3) the majority of the studied mines follow the overburden depth and entry height thresholds recommended by the Program Information Bulletin 11-29 issued by the Mine Safety and Health Administration;(4) potential rib instability occurred when certain geological features prevailed—these include draw slate and/or bone coal near the rib/roof line,claystone partings,and soft coal bench overlain by rock strata;(5) 47% of the studied rib spall was classified as blocky—this could indicate a high potential of rib hazards; and(6) rib injury rates of the studied mines for the last three years emphasize the need for more rib control management for mines operating at overburden depths between 152.4 m and 304.8 m.展开更多
In this paper,the advantage of using numerical models with the strength reduction method(SRM) to evaluate entry stability in complex multiple-seam conditions is demonstrated.A coal mine under variable topography from ...In this paper,the advantage of using numerical models with the strength reduction method(SRM) to evaluate entry stability in complex multiple-seam conditions is demonstrated.A coal mine under variable topography from the Central Appalachian region is used as a case study.At this mine,unexpected roof conditions were encountered during development below previously mined panels.Stress mapping and observation of ground conditions were used to quantify the success of entry support systems in three room-and-pillar panels.Numerical model analyses were initially conducted to estimate the stresses induced by the multiple-seam mining at the locations of the affected entries.The SRM was used to quantify the stability factor of the supported roof of the entries at selected locations.The SRM-calculated stability factors were compared with observations made during the site visits,and the results demonstrate that the SRM adequately identifies the unexpected roof conditions in this complex case.It is concluded that the SRM can be used to effectively evaluate the likely success of roof supports and the stability condition of entries in coal mines.展开更多
A recent seismic event was recorded by a deep longwall mine in Virginia at 3.7 ML on the local magnitude scale and 3.4 MMS by the United States Geological Survey(USGS) in 2016.Further investigations by the National In...A recent seismic event was recorded by a deep longwall mine in Virginia at 3.7 ML on the local magnitude scale and 3.4 MMS by the United States Geological Survey(USGS) in 2016.Further investigations by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH) and Coronado Coal researchers have shown that this event was associated with geological features that have also been associated with other, similar seismic events in Virginia.Detailed mapping and geological exploration in the mining area has made it possible to forecast possible locations for future seismic activity.In order to use the geology as a forecaster of mining-induced seismic events and their energy potential, two primary components are needed.The first component is a long history of recorded seismic events with accurately plotted locations.The second component is a high density of geologic data within the mining area.In this case, 181 events of 1.0 MLor greater were recorded by the mine's seismic network between January, 2009, and October, 2016.Within the mining area, 897 geophysical logs, 224 core holes, and 1031 fiberscope holes were examined by mine geologists.From this information, it was found that overburden thickness, sandstone thickness, and sandstone quality contributed greatly to seismic locations.After the data was analyzed, a pattern became apparent indicating that the majority of seismic events occurred under specific conditions.Three forecast maps were created based on geology of previous seismic locations.The forecast maps have shown an accuracy of within 74%–89% when compared to the recorded 181 events that were1.0 MLor greater when considering three major geological criteria of overburden thickness of 579.12 m or greater, 6.096–12.192 m of sandstone within 15.24 m of the Pocahontas number 3 seam, and a longwall caving height of 4.572 m or less.展开更多
Why do some room and pillar retreat panels encounter abnormal conditions？ What factors deserve the most consideration during the planning and execution phases of mining and what can be done to mitigate those abnormal...Why do some room and pillar retreat panels encounter abnormal conditions？ What factors deserve the most consideration during the planning and execution phases of mining and what can be done to mitigate those abnormal conditions when they are encountered7 To help answer these questions, and to determine some of the relevant factors influencing the conditions of room and pillar （R ＆ P） retreat min- ing entries, four consecutive R ＆ P retreat panels were evaluated. This evaluation was intended to rein- force the influence of topographic changes, depth of cover, multiple-seam interactions, geological conditions, and mining geometry. This paper details observations were made in four consecutive R ＆ P retreat panels and the data were collected from an instrumentation site during retreat mining. The pri- mary focus was on the differences observed among the four panels and within the panels themselves. The instrumentation study was initially planned to evaluate the interactions between primary and secondary support, but produced rather interesting results relating to the loading encountered under the current mining conditions. In addition to the obse^ation and ｜ll^trumentation, numerical modeling was per- formed to evaluate the stress condi~!ons. Both the LaModel 3.0 and Rocscience Phase 2 programs were used to evaluate these four panels, The results of both models indicated a drastic reduction in the vertical stresses experienced in these panels due to the full extraction mining in overlying seams when compared to the full overburden load. Both models showed a higher level of stress associated with the outside entries of the panels. These results agree quite well with the observations and instrumentation studies performed at the mine. These efforts provided two overarching conclusions concerning R ＆ P retreat mine planning and execution. The first was that there are four areas that should not be overlooked during R ＆ P retreat mining： topographic relief, multiple^seaPa stress relief, stress concentra展开更多
Understanding coal mine rib behavior is important for inferring pillar loading conditions as well as ensuring the safety of miners who are regularly exposed to ribs. Due to the variability in the geometry of undergrou...Understanding coal mine rib behavior is important for inferring pillar loading conditions as well as ensuring the safety of miners who are regularly exposed to ribs. Due to the variability in the geometry of underground openings and ground behavior, point measurements often fail to capture the true movement of mine workings. Photogrammetry is a potentially fast, cheap, and precise supplemental measurement tool in comparison to extensometers, tape measures, or laser range meters, but its application in underground coal has been limited. The practical use of photogrammetry was tested at the Safety Research Coal Mine, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH). A commercially available, digital single-lens reflex(DSLR) camera was used to perform the photogrammetric surveys for the experiment. Several experiments were performed using different lighting conditions, distances to subject,camera settings, and photograph overlaps, with results summarized as follows: the lighting method was found to be insignificant if the scene was appropriately illuminated. It was found that the distance to the subject has a minimal impact on result accuracy, and that camera settings have a significant impact on the photogrammetric quality of images. An increasing photograph resolution was preferable when measuring plane orientations; otherwise a high point cloud density would likely be excessive. Focal ratio(F-stop) changes affect the depth of field and image quality in situations where multiple angles are necessary to survey cleat orientations. Photograph overlap is very important to proper three-dimensional reconstruction, and at least 60% overlap between photograph pairs is ideal to avoid unnecessary post-processing. The suggestions and guidelines proposed are designed to increase the quality of photogrammetry inputs and outputs as well as minimize processing time, and serve as a starting point for an underground coal photogrammetry study.展开更多
Room-and-pillar mining with pillar recovery has historically been associated with more than 25% of all ground fall fatalities in underground coal mines in the United States.The risk of ground falls during pillar recov...Room-and-pillar mining with pillar recovery has historically been associated with more than 25% of all ground fall fatalities in underground coal mines in the United States.The risk of ground falls during pillar recovery increases in multiple-seam mining conditions.The hazards associated with pillar recovery in multiple-seam mining include roof cutters, roof falls, rib rolls, coal outbursts, and floor heave.When pillar recovery is planned in multiple seams, it is critical to properly design the mining sequence and panel layout to minimize potential seam interaction.This paper addresses geotechnical considerations for concurrent pillar recovery in two coal seams with 21 m of interburden under about 305 m of depth of cover.The study finds that, for interburden thickness of 21 m, the multiple-seam mining influence zone in the lower seam is directly under the barrier pillar within about 30 m from the gob edge of the upper seam.The peak stress in the interburden transfers down at an angle of approximately 20°away from the gob, and the entries and crosscuts in the influence zone are subjected to elevated stress during development and retreat.The study also suggests that, for full pillar recovery in close-distance multiple-seam scenarios,it is optimal to superimpose the gobs in both seams, but it is not necessary to superimpose the pillars.If the entries and/or crosscuts in the lower seam are developed outside the gob line of the upper seam,additional roof and rib support needs to be considered to account for the elevated stress in the multiple-seam influence zone.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 replicati展开更多
In 2016, room-and-pillar mining provided nearly 40% of underground coal production in the United States.Over the past decade, rib falls have resulted in 12 fatalities, representing 28% of the ground fall fatalities in...In 2016, room-and-pillar mining provided nearly 40% of underground coal production in the United States.Over the past decade, rib falls have resulted in 12 fatalities, representing 28% of the ground fall fatalities in U.S.underground coal mines.Nine of these 12 fatalities(75%) have occurred in room-andpillar mines.The objective of this research is to study the geomechanics of bench room-and-pillar mining and the associated response of high pillar ribs at overburden depths greater than 300 m.This paper provides a definition of the bench technique, the pillar response due to loading, observational data for a case history, a calibrated numerical model of the observed rib response, and application of this calibrated model to a second site.展开更多
文摘Dynamic failures, or ‘‘bumps", remain an imperative safety concern in underground coal mining, despite significant advancements in engineering controls. The presence of spatially discrete, stiff roof units are one feature that has been linked to these events. However, an empirical stratigraphic review indicates that no significant difference exists in the relative commonality of discrete units between bumping and non-bumping deposits. Instead an apparent relationship exists between reportable bumping and the overall stiffness of the host rock. However, this initial study is too simplistic to be conclusive; to weight the relative impact of changes in a single variable, such as the thickness or location of sandstone members, it must be examined in isolation—i.e., in a setting where all other variables are held constant.Numerical modelling provides this setting, and the effects of variability in a stiff discrete member in a hypothetical longwall mining scenario are investigated within the context of three stratigraphic ‘‘types",Compliant, Intermediate and Stiff. A modelling experiment examines changes in rupture potential in stiff roof units for each stratigraphic type as discrete unit thickness and location are manipulated through a range of values. Results suggest that the stiff-to-compliant ratio of the host rock has an impact on the relative stress-inducing effects of discrete stiff members. In other words, it is necessary to consider both the thickness and the distance to the seam, within the context of the host rock, to accurately anticipate areas of elevated rupture-induced hazard; acknowledging the presence of a discrete unit within the overburden in general terms is an insufficient indicator of risk. This finding helps to refine our understanding of the role of individual stiff, strong roof members in bumping phenomena, and suggests that a holistic view of overburden lithology and site-specific numerical modelling may be necessary to improve miner safety.
文摘Design of rib support systems in U.S. coal mines is based primarily on local practices and experience. A better understanding of current rib support practices in U.S. coal mines is crucial for developing a sound engineering rib support design tool. The objective of this paper is to analyze the current practices of rib control in U.S. coal mines. Twenty underground coal mines were studied representing various coal basins,coal seams,geology,loading conditions,and rib control strategies. The key findings are:(1) any rib design guideline or tool should take into account external rib support as well as internal bolting;(2) rib bolts on their own cannot contain rib spall,especially in soft ribs subjected to significant load—external rib control devices such as mesh are required in such cases to contain rib sloughing;(3) the majority of the studied mines follow the overburden depth and entry height thresholds recommended by the Program Information Bulletin 11-29 issued by the Mine Safety and Health Administration;(4) potential rib instability occurred when certain geological features prevailed—these include draw slate and/or bone coal near the rib/roof line,claystone partings,and soft coal bench overlain by rock strata;(5) 47% of the studied rib spall was classified as blocky—this could indicate a high potential of rib hazards; and(6) rib injury rates of the studied mines for the last three years emphasize the need for more rib control management for mines operating at overburden depths between 152.4 m and 304.8 m.
文摘In this paper,the advantage of using numerical models with the strength reduction method(SRM) to evaluate entry stability in complex multiple-seam conditions is demonstrated.A coal mine under variable topography from the Central Appalachian region is used as a case study.At this mine,unexpected roof conditions were encountered during development below previously mined panels.Stress mapping and observation of ground conditions were used to quantify the success of entry support systems in three room-and-pillar panels.Numerical model analyses were initially conducted to estimate the stresses induced by the multiple-seam mining at the locations of the affected entries.The SRM was used to quantify the stability factor of the supported roof of the entries at selected locations.The SRM-calculated stability factors were compared with observations made during the site visits,and the results demonstrate that the SRM adequately identifies the unexpected roof conditions in this complex case.It is concluded that the SRM can be used to effectively evaluate the likely success of roof supports and the stability condition of entries in coal mines.
文摘A recent seismic event was recorded by a deep longwall mine in Virginia at 3.7 ML on the local magnitude scale and 3.4 MMS by the United States Geological Survey(USGS) in 2016.Further investigations by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH) and Coronado Coal researchers have shown that this event was associated with geological features that have also been associated with other, similar seismic events in Virginia.Detailed mapping and geological exploration in the mining area has made it possible to forecast possible locations for future seismic activity.In order to use the geology as a forecaster of mining-induced seismic events and their energy potential, two primary components are needed.The first component is a long history of recorded seismic events with accurately plotted locations.The second component is a high density of geologic data within the mining area.In this case, 181 events of 1.0 MLor greater were recorded by the mine's seismic network between January, 2009, and October, 2016.Within the mining area, 897 geophysical logs, 224 core holes, and 1031 fiberscope holes were examined by mine geologists.From this information, it was found that overburden thickness, sandstone thickness, and sandstone quality contributed greatly to seismic locations.After the data was analyzed, a pattern became apparent indicating that the majority of seismic events occurred under specific conditions.Three forecast maps were created based on geology of previous seismic locations.The forecast maps have shown an accuracy of within 74%–89% when compared to the recorded 181 events that were1.0 MLor greater when considering three major geological criteria of overburden thickness of 579.12 m or greater, 6.096–12.192 m of sandstone within 15.24 m of the Pocahontas number 3 seam, and a longwall caving height of 4.572 m or less.
文摘Why do some room and pillar retreat panels encounter abnormal conditions？ What factors deserve the most consideration during the planning and execution phases of mining and what can be done to mitigate those abnormal conditions when they are encountered7 To help answer these questions, and to determine some of the relevant factors influencing the conditions of room and pillar （R ＆ P） retreat min- ing entries, four consecutive R ＆ P retreat panels were evaluated. This evaluation was intended to rein- force the influence of topographic changes, depth of cover, multiple-seam interactions, geological conditions, and mining geometry. This paper details observations were made in four consecutive R ＆ P retreat panels and the data were collected from an instrumentation site during retreat mining. The pri- mary focus was on the differences observed among the four panels and within the panels themselves. The instrumentation study was initially planned to evaluate the interactions between primary and secondary support, but produced rather interesting results relating to the loading encountered under the current mining conditions. In addition to the obse^ation and ｜ll^trumentation, numerical modeling was per- formed to evaluate the stress condi~!ons. Both the LaModel 3.0 and Rocscience Phase 2 programs were used to evaluate these four panels, The results of both models indicated a drastic reduction in the vertical stresses experienced in these panels due to the full extraction mining in overlying seams when compared to the full overburden load. Both models showed a higher level of stress associated with the outside entries of the panels. These results agree quite well with the observations and instrumentation studies performed at the mine. These efforts provided two overarching conclusions concerning R ＆ P retreat mine planning and execution. The first was that there are four areas that should not be overlooked during R ＆ P retreat mining： topographic relief, multiple^seaPa stress relief, stress concentra
文摘Understanding coal mine rib behavior is important for inferring pillar loading conditions as well as ensuring the safety of miners who are regularly exposed to ribs. Due to the variability in the geometry of underground openings and ground behavior, point measurements often fail to capture the true movement of mine workings. Photogrammetry is a potentially fast, cheap, and precise supplemental measurement tool in comparison to extensometers, tape measures, or laser range meters, but its application in underground coal has been limited. The practical use of photogrammetry was tested at the Safety Research Coal Mine, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH). A commercially available, digital single-lens reflex(DSLR) camera was used to perform the photogrammetric surveys for the experiment. Several experiments were performed using different lighting conditions, distances to subject,camera settings, and photograph overlaps, with results summarized as follows: the lighting method was found to be insignificant if the scene was appropriately illuminated. It was found that the distance to the subject has a minimal impact on result accuracy, and that camera settings have a significant impact on the photogrammetric quality of images. An increasing photograph resolution was preferable when measuring plane orientations; otherwise a high point cloud density would likely be excessive. Focal ratio(F-stop) changes affect the depth of field and image quality in situations where multiple angles are necessary to survey cleat orientations. Photograph overlap is very important to proper three-dimensional reconstruction, and at least 60% overlap between photograph pairs is ideal to avoid unnecessary post-processing. The suggestions and guidelines proposed are designed to increase the quality of photogrammetry inputs and outputs as well as minimize processing time, and serve as a starting point for an underground coal photogrammetry study.
文摘Room-and-pillar mining with pillar recovery has historically been associated with more than 25% of all ground fall fatalities in underground coal mines in the United States.The risk of ground falls during pillar recovery increases in multiple-seam mining conditions.The hazards associated with pillar recovery in multiple-seam mining include roof cutters, roof falls, rib rolls, coal outbursts, and floor heave.When pillar recovery is planned in multiple seams, it is critical to properly design the mining sequence and panel layout to minimize potential seam interaction.This paper addresses geotechnical considerations for concurrent pillar recovery in two coal seams with 21 m of interburden under about 305 m of depth of cover.The study finds that, for interburden thickness of 21 m, the multiple-seam mining influence zone in the lower seam is directly under the barrier pillar within about 30 m from the gob edge of the upper seam.The peak stress in the interburden transfers down at an angle of approximately 20°away from the gob, and the entries and crosscuts in the influence zone are subjected to elevated stress during development and retreat.The study also suggests that, for full pillar recovery in close-distance multiple-seam scenarios,it is optimal to superimpose the gobs in both seams, but it is not necessary to superimpose the pillars.If the entries and/or crosscuts in the lower seam are developed outside the gob line of the upper seam,additional roof and rib support needs to be considered to account for the elevated stress in the multiple-seam influence zone.
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 replicati
文摘In 2016, room-and-pillar mining provided nearly 40% of underground coal production in the United States.Over the past decade, rib falls have resulted in 12 fatalities, representing 28% of the ground fall fatalities in U.S.underground coal mines.Nine of these 12 fatalities(75%) have occurred in room-andpillar mines.The objective of this research is to study the geomechanics of bench room-and-pillar mining and the associated response of high pillar ribs at overburden depths greater than 300 m.This paper provides a definition of the bench technique, the pillar response due to loading, observational data for a case history, a calibrated numerical model of the observed rib response, and application of this calibrated model to a second site.
