Subsidence from underground mining: environmental analysis and planning considerations

Technical Report · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6149371

Lee, F T; Abel, Jr, J F

Subsidence, a universal process that occurs in response to the voids created by extracting solids or liquids from beneath the Earth's surface, is controlled by many factors including mining methods, depth of extraction, thickness of deposit, and topography, as well as the in situ properties of the rock mass above the deposit. The impacts of subsidence are potentially severe in terms of damage to surface utility lines and structures, changes in surface-water and ground-water conditions, and effects on vegetation and animals. Although subsidence cannot be eliminated, it can be reduced or controlled in areas where deformation of the ground surface would produce dangerous or costly effects. Subsidence prediction is highly developed in Europe where there are comparatively uniform mining conditions and a long history of field measurements. Much of this mining has been carried out beneath crowded urban and industrial areas where accurate predictions have facilitated use of the surface and reduced undesirable impacts. Concerted efforts to understand subsidence processes in the United States are recent. Empirical methods of subsidence analysis and prediction based on local conditions seem better suited to the current state of knowledge of the varied geologic and topographic conditions in domestic coal mining regions than do theoretical/mathematical approaches. In order to develop broadly applicable subsidence prediction methods and models for the United States, more information is needed on magnitude and timing of ground movements and geologic properties.

• Research Organization: Colorado School of Mines, Golden (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6149371
• Report Number(s): USGS-CIRC-876; ON: TI85900596
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
012000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Mining
BUILDINGS
CALCULATION METHODS
COAL DEPOSITS
COAL MINING
COAL SEAMS
DAMAGE
DEPTH
DIMENSIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FORECASTING
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GROUND SUBSIDENCE
LONGWALL MINING
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
MINERAL RESOURCES
MINING
RESOURCES
ROOM AND PILLAR MINING
THICKNESS
TIME DEPENDENCE
UNDERGROUND MINING