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U.S. Department of Energy
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Subsidence modeling for underground coal gasification

Journal Article · · In Situ; (United States)
OSTI ID:6070440
Underground coal gasification can lead to significant environmental and structural damage due to subsidence. This ground motion can be enhanced or mitigated by thermal shrinkage, block caving, variations in elastic properties, plasticity and multiple seam burning. Underground openings which are located at relatively shallow depths may result in much greater subsidence than larger openings which are slightly deeper. New advances in computer codes allow investigations of rigid block behaviour and other non-linear mechanisms. Numerical techniques agree qualitatively with empirical data but, so far, underpredict ground surface displacement. Certain thermal and structural properties of Coal Measures rock must be established and additional calculations must be carried out over longer times in order that cooling influences can be modelled.
OSTI ID:
6070440
Journal Information:
In Situ; (United States), Journal Name: In Situ; (United States) Vol. 7:1; ISSN ISOMD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English