A Stability Factor for Supported Mine Entries Based on Numerical Model Analysis

Details

• Personal Author:
  Esterhuizen, Gabriel S. ; Esterhuizen, Gabriel S.
• Description:
  This paper addresses the need for a method to compare the effectiveness of different support systems when designing ground support in coal mines. At present, support design methods include empirical methods based on observations of past performance of installed support systems, analytical methods where the roof is typically simulated by elastic beams and numerical model analysis. The approach presented in this paper estimates the relative stability of a support design through geotechnical evaluation of the rock mass and numerical model analysis of the interaction between the rock mass and the support system. Models are used first to simulate the design performance at the expected rock conditions. The rock strength is then reduced until collapse is indicated in the model. The stability factor is then calculated as the ratio of the expected rock mass strength to the rock mass strength at the onset of collapse, and is similar to the well-known factor of safety used in engineering practice. The stability factor can be used to assist in developing a final support design by comparing the effectiveness of various support systems and the stability of excavations under various geological and loading conditions. Examples of the method's application in three different geological settings are presented. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Coal Coal Mining Geology Laboratories Mining Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Coal-mining Computer-models Computer-software Control-technology Engineering-controls Ground-control Ground-stability Mathematical-models Mining-industry Underground-mining
• Series:
  Mining Publications   ; Mining Publications  
• Publisher:
  West Virginia University
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Proceedings ; Proceedings
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OMSHR - Office of Mine Safety and Health Research ; OMSHR - Office of Mine Safety and Health Research
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health ; Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America ; North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-9
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20041920
• Citation:
  Proceedings of the 31st International Conference on Ground Control in Mining, July 31-August 2, 2012, Morgantown, West Virginia. Morgantown, WV: West Virginia University, 2012 Jul; :1-9
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2012
• NORA Priority Area:
  Mining ; Mining
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  Proceedings of the 31st International Conference on Ground Control in Mining, July 31-August 2, 2012, Morgantown, West Virginia
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:7e6b72344e7e3e9fc502ef0a6d5378c7d8acc6aae371d96b7d06aa39c931af5935102107e4f193220465bdc1c2333fcec2749203ea84bbb46a54e9a1d8a3de72
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/227496/cdc_227496_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 960.03 KB ]