The application of underground in-seam seismic methods (UISS) to map the coal seam structure across longwall panels
- GECOH Exploration, Lexington, KY (United States)
- Marshall Miller and Associates, Inc., Lexington, KY (United States)
Investigations on the applicability of geophysical exploration methods to map coal seam inclusions were continued under a variety of conditions at a umber of underground coal mining operations. The results have been encouraging and have fostered a much more detailed understanding of the geophysical principles at work in underground mine mapping. This report summarizes a particularly interesting application, that is, the use of Underground In-Seam Seismic exploration methods to identify and to approximately delineate coal seam inclusions within longwall panels. The methodology relies on the excitation of seismic sources in the coal seam along one side of the panel and the rib on the opposite side. Head-Body waves (compressional and shear), direct and channel waves are generated in the process. While the head waves are critically refracted waves traveling at the coal floor and roof, direct and channel waves are transmitted through the coal body and are dispersive in character. Tomographic techniques applied to the velocity inversion of first arrivals permits a fast mapping of coal seam inclusions in the panel. The process incorporates path analysis of the dispersive channel waves, provides an independent and confirmatory information of the coal geometry, including the inclusions within. The inversion technique in this case is the modal analysis of the wave trains. The application of this method to three different problems was confirmed by subsequent mining of the predicted anomalies, proving the accuracy of the technique within limits of experimental error.
- OSTI ID:
- 124693
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950811-; ISBN 0-930284-56-9; TRN: IM9548%%283
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 14. conference on ground control in mining, Morgantown, WV (United States), 1-3 Aug 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of 14. International conference on ground control in mining: Proceedings; Peng, S.S. [ed.] [Univ. of West Virginia, Morgantown, WV (United States). Dept. of Mining Engineering]; PB: 330 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Seismic methods for in-seam coal mine ground control problems
Radio imaging method (RIM) used to map coal seam thickness within developed longwall panels