When studying risk factors in coal mines, it is necessary, in the first place, to consider factors and properties of the rock massif occurred with the deepening of mining operations in the coal mines, and determine one of the main types of danger: risk of geodynamic phenomena. The geodynamic phenomena occur and develop under the influence of natural and technological factors. Natural factors determine the rock massif proneness of ato geodynamic manifestations or, in other words, its potential danger due to these phenomena. Occurrence of this danger depends on technological factors. Among the dangerous factors of underground coal production to which primarily belong the geodynamic phenomena, the main ones are gas-dynamic phenomena, which are the most complex by their nature and dangerous by consequences due to high dynamic power and release of great amount of gas during a short period of time. Their consequences can be accidents due to sudden gassing and blockage of workings by coal and rock, explosions of methane and coal dust, destruction of the roadway supports, damage of machines and mechanisms, equipment and devices. As the gas-dynamic phenomena in the rocks massif are accompanied by occurrence of various processes differed by their nature, therefore, risks caused by them should be taken into account at mining operations. When considering the gas-dynamic phenomena attention should be paid to the shock wave propagation, as it is one of the gas dynamic processes. Therefore, purpose of this research was to study specific features of the shock wave propagation in the rock massif in order to prevent dangerous consequences. In this article, the authors consider the processes which occur in the rock massif prone to dangerous gas-dynamic phenomena at the shock wave propagation. The methods of rock mechanics, mechanics of continuous media, gas and thermodynamics were used in the research. Analytical researches of processes and numerical analysis of the received results were carried out. It is shown that a sharp increase of thermodynamic parameters under the action of gas-dynamic phenomena can lead to occurrence of the shock waves. It is further established that an explosive air-methane mixture can be formed in cracks, cavities and pores of the face area. At opening the cavities and pores, cases of shock waves formation in air-methane mixture leading to its detonation are possible. Under adverse conditions, this phenomenon can lead to a fire in the roadway.
Discrete Element Simulation of Elastoplastic Shock Wave Propagation in Spherical Particles