Optimization of Barrier Pillar Design in Longwall Mining with Top Coal Caving in Spontaneous Combustion Coal Seam

Determining a reasonable barrier pillar along gob-side entry of spontaneous combustion coal seam is of great significance to the prevention of spontaneous combustion. In this paper, considering the actual situation of 4301 and 4302 working faces of II-class spontaneous combustion coal seam in Changheng Mine, the characteristics of rock mass collapse and mining-induced stress redistribution of barrier pillar and adjacent area were analyzed, the cusp catastrophe model of coal pillar instability and the theoretical model of limit width of coal pillar air leakage spontaneous combustion were established, and a measurement scheme of side abutment pressure in 4301 working face was carried out. The theoretical model of the coal pillar along the gob-side entry shows that its instability is related to density of overlying strata, physical and mechanical parameters of coal body, dip angle of coal seam and weak face, and buried depth and mining width of working face. And the coal pillar in 4302 working face will be unstable if the width a ≤ 6.8 m . Field measured data shows that 2-8 m is the stress-relaxation area of side solid coal. Then, the width of coal pillar was determined as 7 m. The maximum displacement of rib-to-rib and roof-to-floor of 4302 tailentry was 520 mm and 280 mm, respectively. The coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) observation monitoring results showed that the carbon monoxide volume fraction was in the normal range during the entire process of mining, and no other signs of gas were found. The research results can provide a reference for the barrier pillar designing in the mines under similar conditions.

Numerical analysis of inter-panel pillars in the bump prone conditionals of the Alardinskaya mine

The purpose of the paper is to substantiate the width of the barrier and yield pillars for the application of a new seam development scheme in the conditions of the Alardinskaya mine (Russia). The Alardinskaya mine develops gas-bearing coal seams that are prone to spontaneous combustion and are hazardous due to rock bumps, which leads to frequent accidents. The analysis of the world experience of mining seams being hazardous to rock bumps showed that safe mining with longwalls can be provided by a system of inter-panel pillars: very wide barrier pillar and two yield pillars. Numerical modeling using the finite element method was carried out to assess the possibility of reducing the barrier pillar width in order to decrease the volume of coal losses in the subsoil. The model of rock massif was created in Ansys mechanical software. Numerical modeling of the longwall panel development with longwalls was carried out at various widths of broad and yield pillars. The analysis outcomes of the vertical stresses diagrams in the seams are presented for different parts of the longwall panel. The rational parameters of the pillar system, ensuring the minimization of the reference pressure influence from the previously worked-out column and the reference pressure of the operating longwall, are determined as a result of numerical analysis. The conclusion is made about the expediency of the technological scheme application proposed by the authors in the conditions of the Alardinskaya mine to reduce the endogenous fire hazard and the danger of rock bumps.

Directional Blasting Fracturing Technology for the Stability Control of Key Strata in Deep Thick Coal Mining

Under the conditions of high ground stress and mining disturbance, the strata breakage that is induced by mining is severe. Thus, it is critical to investigate the structural characteristics of key strata (KS) in deep thick mining. This study introduces an innovative technology, namely, directional blasting fracturing, in which an energy-gathering tube is installed in a borehole and an explosive is detonated to break the roof in a specified direction. A theory of balanced bulk filling is established based on the requirements of developing a voussoir beam structure, which can be used to effectively evaluate the percentage of bulk filling in gob and to determine to which structure the key strata belongs. Based on this theory, two types of novel structural models in the advancing and lateral directions of the longwall face are established and defined for studying the roof fracturing mechanism. Compared with a cantilever structure, Model C can develop a stable voussoir beam structure, limiting the rotation space of the KS and reducing both the peak abutment pressure and the dynamic disturbance time in the advancing of the longwall face. Model E is defined as when the technology of directional blasting fracturing effectively cuts a stress transfer path into the barrier pillar. The peak abutment pressures on the barrier pillar and auxiliary entry are smaller, and the dynamic disturbance time is shorter, which can effectively improve the stability of the auxiliary entry. The key parameters of directional blasting fracturing are designed and constructed, and they include the roof fracturing height, angle, and charge structure. The field application performance of this innovative technology at the longwall face of 3−1101 in Hongqinghe coal mine was evaluated by analyzing the chock pressure stress, the pillar pressure stress, and the deformation of the auxiliary entry during mining, which lays a foundation for the application of this technology in coal mines in China.

ANALISYS OF SOLID STRESS-STRAIN BEHAVIOR WHEN PROTECTIVE PILLAR OF VERTICAL SHAFT IS DEVELOPED

In the context of the paper, carried out study complex is devoted to geomechanical estimation of safe development of ore reserves including barrier pillar within protective pillar of shaft of Irtishskaya Ore Mine with determination of influence rate of occurring stresses and strains in a solid on its condition and on capital workings and ground surface. Due to absence of active reserve reproduction of mineral raw materials at active ore mines, issues of pillar redevelopment become extremely important. It is established that in some deposits, losses in boundaries of protective pillars for protective objects reach 30 and more percent from balanced reserves. The possibility of safe extraction of parts of reserves from protective pillar of shaft without negative consequences for mine operation and for objects located at daylight surface is justified, based on analytical solutions and finite-element simulation in terms of Irtishskaya Mine. The most significant issue in the paper is using of mathematical simulation considering geo-structural features of the deposit, solid lithology, physical and mechanical properties of rock geo-metrical difficulty of mining objects and regulatory documentation for significant of extension of knowledge about studying of stability estimation of workings and ground surface. It is established that as main safety way for mine shaft ore barrier pillars should be leaved when reserves from protective pillar is depleted.

Distribution of Side Abutment Stress in Roadway Subjected to Dynamic Pressure and Its Engineering Application

The borehole stress-meter was employed in this study to investigate the distribution of the side abutment stress in roadway subjected to dynamic pressure. The results demonstrate that the side abutment stress of the mining roadway reaches a peak value when the distance to the gob is 8 m and the distribution curve of the side abutment stress can be divided into three zones: stress rising zone, stress stabilizing zone, and stress decreasing zone. Further numerical investigation was carried out to study the effect of the coal mass strength, coal seam depth, immediate roof strength, and thickness on the distribution of the side abutment stress. Based on the research results, we determined the reasonable position of the mining roadway and the optimal width of the barrier pillar. The engineering application demonstrates that the retention of the barrier pillar with a width of 5 m along the gob as the haulage roadway for the next panel is feasible, which delivers favorable technological and economic benefits.

Study of Reasonable Length of Coal Seam Mining under Different Fault Dips

In this paper, the stress and strain distribution in coal seam and fault edge under various fault dips is numerically simulated to study the stability of the barrier pillar and determine the reasonable length of coal seam mining using COMSOL Multiphysics package. Numerical simulations show that remarkable increase in stress around fault edge when coal seam is about 250 m away from the fault with a smaller fault angle and the stability of fault is seriously affected by the mining excavation. While the obvious increase in stress around fault edge can be observed until coal seam is about 200 m or 150 m away from the fault with a larger fault angle and the stability of fault is seriously affected by mining excavation. Numerical results indicate that the larger the fault dip is, the larger the reasonable mining length in coal seam where a fault near coal seam exists. Moreover, the fault with smaller dip is more easily activated to induce the failure of the fault and the occurrence of water inrush in coal mining. To prevent the occurrence of fault failure accident, we need to study the reasonable mining length of coal seam, to ensure the safety production and increase the recovery ratio of coal.