Development and application of a longwall ground mechanics model for prediction of ground movement and for pillar design in coal mining
- Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale, IL (United States)
There has been a need to develop a simplified model which can simultaneously analyze stress distribution in longwall mine workings in coal including roof-pillar-floor interaction and associated surface and subsurface subsidence. This paper presents development and application of such a three-dimensional model to predict subsidence, associated tilt, and strain and design chain pillars in longwall mining of coal. Our three-dimensional model is based on simple, stratified continuum with horizontal beds with cohesionless interfaces. The model permits solution of problems such as longwall mining with chain pillars, room-and-pillar workings, caving of roof beds, non-linear behavior of caved rock and linear or non-linear coal pillars and immediate floor strata. The model has been validated for several operating coal mines in the United States with good results for predicted subsidence, curvature and tilt and for stress in chain pillars at one mine. Applications of the model for design of longwall chain pillars and assessment of subsidence impacts on surface drainage are presented. The validation and application indicate that the longwall ground mechanics (LGM) model can be a good design and planning tool for longwall coal mining.
- OSTI ID:
- 62422
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9309416-; TRN: 95:001848-0008
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Annual meeting of the Illinois Mining Institute, Collinsville, IL (United States), 23-24 Sep 1993; Other Information: PBD: 1993; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the Illinois Mining Institute; PB: 323 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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