Heat transfer and temperature evolution in underground mininginduced overburden fracture and ground fissures: Optimal time window of UAV infrared monitoring

Heat transfer and temperature evolution in overburden fracture and ground fissures are one of the essential topics for the identification of ground fissures via unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV) infrared imager. In this study, discrete element software UDEC was employed to investigate the overburden fracture field under different mining conditions. Multiphysics software COMSOL were employed to investigate heat transfer and temperature evolution of overburden fracture and ground fissures under the influence of mining condition, fissure depth, fissure width, and month alternation. The UAV infrared field measurements also provided a calibration for numerical simulation. The results showed that for ground fissures connected to underground goaf(Fissure Ⅰ), the temperature difference increased with larger mining height and shallow buried depth. In addition, Fissure Ⅰ located in the boundary of the goaf have a greater temperature difference and is easier to be identified than fissures located above the mining goaf. For ground fissures having no connection to underground goaf(Fissure Ⅱ), the heat transfer is affected by the internal resistance of the overlying strata fracture when the depth of Fissure Ⅱ is greater than10 m, the temperature of Fissure Ⅱ gradually equals to the ground temperature as the fissures’ depth increases, and the fissures are difficult to be identified. The identification effect is most obvious for fissures larger than 16 cm under the same depth. In spring and summer, UAV infrared identification of mining fissures should be carried out during nighttime. This study provides the basis for the optimal time and season for the UAV infrared identification of different types of mining ground fissures.

Determination of minimum overburden depth for underwater shield tunnel in sands:Comparison between circular and rectangular tunnels

With the development of global urbanization,the utilization of underground space is more critical and attractive for civil purposes.Various shapes of shield tunnels have been gradually proposed to cope with different geological conditions and service purposes of underground structures.Generally,reducing the burial depth of shield tunnel is conducive to construction and cost saving.However,extremely small overburden depth cannot provide sufficient uplift resistance to maintain the stability and serviceability of the tunnel.To this end,this paper firstly reviewed the status of deriving the minimum sand over-burden depth of circular shield tunnel using mechanical equilibrium(ME)method.It revealed that the estimated depth is rather conservative.Then,the uplift resistance mechanism of both circular and rectangular tunnels was deduced theoretically and verified with the model tests.The theoretical uplift resistance is consistent with the experimental values,indicating the feasibility of the proposed equations.Furthermore,the determination of the minimum soil overburden depth of rectangular shield tunnel under various working conditions was presented through integrated ME method,which can provide more reasonable estimations of suggested tunnel burial depth for practical construction.Additionally,optimizations were made for calculating the uplift resistance,and the soil thickness providing uplift resistance is suggested to be adjusted according to the testing results.The results can provide reference for the design and construction of various shapes of shield tunnels in urban underground space exploitation.

Kinetics of solid-state reduction of chromite overburden

The demand for alternative low-grade iron ores is on the rise due to the rapid depletion of high-grade natural iron ore resources and the increased need for steel usage in daily life.However,the use of low-grade iron ores is a constant clinical task for industry metallurgists.Direct smelting of low-grade ores consumes a substantial amount of energy due to the large volume of slag generated.This condition can be avoided by direct reduction followed by magnetic separation(to separate the high amount of gangue or refractory and metal parts)and smelting.Chromite overburden(COB)is a mine waste generated in chromite ore processing,and it mainly consists of iron,chromium,and nickel(<1wt%).In the present work,the isothermal and non-isothermal kinetics of the solid-state reduction of self-reduced pellets prepared using low-grade iron ore(COB)were thoroughly investigated via thermal analysis.The results showed that the reduction of pellets followed a firstorder autocatalytic reaction control mechanism in the temperature range of 900-1100℃.The autocatalytic nature of the reduction reaction was due to the presence of nickel in the COB.The apparent activation energy obtained from the kinetics results showed that the solid-state reactions between COB and carbon were the rate-determining step in iron oxide reduction.

Experimental study on the interrelation of multiple mechanical parameters in overburden rock caving process during coal mining in longwall panel

In order to comprehend the dynamic disaster mechanism induced by overburden rock caving during the advancement of a coal mining face, a physical simulation model is constructed basing on the geological condition of the 21221 mining face at Qianqiu coal mine in Henan Province, China. This study established, a comprehensive monitoring system to investigate the interrelations and evolutionary characteristics among multiple mechanical parameters, including mining-induced stress, displacement, temperature, and acoustic emission events during overburden rock caving. It is suggested that, despite the uniformity of the overburden rock caving interval, the main characteristic of overburden rock lies in its uneven caving strength. The mining-induced stress exhibits a reasonable interrelation with the displacement, temperature, and acoustic emission events of the rock strata. With the advancement of the coal seam, the mining-induced stress undergoes four successive stages: gentle stability, gradual accumulation, high-level mutation, and a return to stability. The variations in other mechanical parameters does not synchronize with the signifcant changes in mining-induced stress. Before the collapse of overburden rock occurs, rock strata temperature increment decreases and the acoustic emission ringing counts surges with the increase of rock strata displacement and mining-induced stress. Therefore, the collaborative characteristics of mining-induced stress, displacement, temperature, and acoustic emission ringing counts can be identifed as the precursor information or overburden rock caving. These results are in good consistent with on-site situation in the coal mine.

Geochemical and mineralogical evaluations of coal,shale,and mine waste overburden from Makum coalfield of the Northeast India

The Cenozoic-age Makum coal from northeastern India offers numerous research opportunities because of its diverse geochemical and geological characteristics.Due to its high sulfur content,the coal has been found to be less useful for industrial purposes.It can,however,serve as a hub for ongoing research on coal-based derivative products.The aim of this research work is to investigate the mineralogical and geochemical compositions of the coal,mine overburden(MOB)and shale samples taken from the Makum coal field and also on establishing a mutual relationship between them.To characterize the geochemical controlling factors of the Makum coal field,the study employs coal petrography,FTIR,mineralogical,and geochemical analysis.According to X-ray diffraction analysis,the major minerals like quartz,kaolinite,haematite,illite,pyrite,and calcite are present in coal and MOB.Pyrite is observed by SEM-EDS analysis as cubic-shaped particles that are smaller than a fewμm in size.The presence of sulfide minerals represents a phase of pyrite mineralization.The petrography study was used to better understand the environment that existed during the formation of the plant material,which aids us in determining the quantity of detrital mineral sediment contained in the coal.According to the ICP-MS analysis,the samples indicate significant levels of rare earth elements including yttrium.The present study reveals higher concentrations of poten-tial hazardous elements in the coal samples,with V,Cr,Ni,Cu,and Zn content in coal being considerably enriched compared to world-average concentrations.The correlation analysis reveals that the potential hazardous elements like Co,Ni,As,and Cu are associated with pyrite as they have strong affinity towards pyrite.Thus,numerous minerals and rare earth elements(REEs)exist,opening up a fresh avenue for more research in the area.This study also assists researchers in understanding the significance of Makum coal and provides numerous ideas for coal characterization.

3D forward modeling and response characteristics of low-resistivity overburden of the CFS-PML absorbing boundary for ground-well transient electromagnetic method

This study used the stable and convergent Dufort-Frankel method to differentially discretize the diffusion equation of the ground-well transient electromagnetic secondary field.The absorption boundary condition of complex frequency-shifted perfectly matched layer(CFS-PML)was used for truncation so that the low-frequency electromagnetic wave can be better absorbed at the model boundary.A typical three-dimensional(3D)homogeneous half-space model was established and a low-resistivity cube model was analyzed under the half-space condition.The response patterns and drivers of the low-resistivity cube model were discussed under the influence of a low-resistivity overburden.The absorption boundary conditions of CFS-PML significantly affected the low-frequency electromagnetic waves.For a low-resistivity cube around the borehole,its response curve exhibited a single-peak,and the extreme point of the curve corresponded to the center of the low-resistivity body.When the low-resistivity cube was directly below the borehole,the response curve showed three extreme values(two high and one low),with the low corresponding to the center of the low-resistivity body.The total field response of the low-resistivity overburden was stronger than that of the uniform half-space model due to the low-resistivity shielding effect of electromagnetic waves.When the receiving-transmitting distance gradually increased,the effect of the low-resistivity overburden was gradually weakened,and the response of the low-resistivity cube was strengthened.It was affected by the ratio of the overburden resistivity to the resistivity of the low-resistivity body.

Measurement of overburden failure zones in close-multiple coal seams mining

In the Kaiping Coal field,mining of five coal seams,located within 80 m in the Kailuan Group,#5,#7,#8,#9 and#12 coal seam,is difficult due to small interburden thickness,concentrated stress distributions,high coal seam metamorphism,and complex geological conditions.By using the ZTR12 geological penetration radar(GPR)survey combined with borehole observations,the overburden caving due to mining of the five coals seams was measured.The development characteristics of full-cover rock fractures after mining were obtained from the GPR scan,which provides a measurement basis for the control of rock strata in close multiple coal seam mining.For the first time,it was found that the overburden caving pattern shows a periodic triangular caved characteristic.Furthermore,it is proposed that an upright triangular collapsed pile masonry and an inverted triangular with larger fragments piled up alternately appear in the lower gob.The research results show that the roof structure formed in the gob area can support the key overlying strata,which is beneficial to ensure the integrity and stability of the upper coal seams in multiple-seam mining of close coal seams.

Numerical stress-deformation analysis of cut-off wall in clay-core rockfill dam on thick overburden

The cut-off wall in a clay-core rockfill dam built on a thick overburden layer is subjected to a large compressive pressure under the action of the loads such as the dead weight of both the dam and the overburden layer, the frictional force induced by the differential settlement between the cut-off wall and surrounding soils, and the water pressure. Thus, reduction of the stress of the cut-off wall has become one of the main problems for consideration in engineering design. In this paper, numerical analysis of a core rockfill dam built on a thick overburden layer was conducted and some factors influencing the stress-strain behaviors of the cut-off wall were investigated. The factors include the improvement of the overburden layer, the modeling approach for interfacial contact between the cut-off wall and surrounding soils, the modulus of the cut-off wall concrete, and the connected pattern between the cut-off wall and the clay core. The result shows that improving the overburden layer,selecting plastic concrete with a low modulus and high strength, and optimizing the connection between the cut-off wall and the clay core of the dam are effective measures of reducing the deformations and compressive stresses of the cut-off wall. In addition, both the Goodman element and the mud-layer element are suitable for simulating the interfacial contact between the cut-off wall and surrounding soils.

Longwall surface subsidence control by technology of isolated overburden grout injection

Surface subsidence is a typical ground movement due to longwall mining, which causes a series of environmental problems and hazards. In China, intensive coal extractions are commonly operated under dense-populated coalfields, which exacerbates the negative subsequences resulted from surface settlement. Therefore, effective approaches to control the ground subsidence are in urgent need for the Chinese coal mining industry. This paper presents a newly developed subsidence control technology: isolated overburden grout injection, including the theory, technique and applications. Relevant procedures such as injection system design, grouting material selection, borehole layout, grout take estimation and injection process design are proposed. The applicability of this technology has been demonstrated through physical modelling, field measurements, and case studies. Since 2009, the technology has been successfully applied to 14 longwall areas in 9 Chinese coal mines. The ultimate surface subsidence factors vary from 0.10 to 0.15. This method has a great potential to be popularized and performed where longwall mining are implemented under villages and ground infrastructures.

An assessment of coal pillar system stability criteria based on a mechanistic evaluation of the interaction between coal pillars and the overburden

Coal pillar design has historically assigned a factor of safety(Fo S) or stability factor(SF) according to their estimated strength and the assumed overburden load acting on them. Acceptable Fo S values have been assigned based on past mining experience or a statistical link between Fo S and probability of failure(Po F). Pillar width-to-height(w/h) ratio has long been established as having a material influence on both pillar strength and its potential failure mode. However, there has been significant disagreement on using both factor of safety(Fo S) and w/h as part of pillar system stability criterion, as compared to using Fo S in isolation. This paper will argue that there are valid technical reasons to bring w/h ratio into system stability criteria(other than its influence on pillar strength), as it is related to the post-failure stiffness of the pillar, as measured in situ, and its interaction with overburden stiffness. When overburden stiffness is also brought into pillar system stability considerations, two issues emerge. The first is the width-todepth(W/D) ratio of the panel and whether it is sub-critical or super-critical from a surface subsidence perspective. The second relates to a re-evaluation of pillar Fo S based on whether the pillar is in an elastic or non-elastic(i.e., post-yield) state in its as-designed condition, as this is relevant to maintaining overburden stiffness at the highest possible level. The significance of the model is the potential to maximise both reserve recovery and mining efficiencies without any discernible increase in geotechnical risk, particularly in thick seams and higher depth of cover mining situations. At a time when mining economics are, at best, marginal, removing potentially unnecessary design conservatism is of interest to all mine operators and is an important topic for discussion amongst the geotechnical community.

Structure and deformation measurements of shallow overburden during top coal caving longwall mining

Mining induced pressures are strong and overburden failure areas are large in top coal caving longwall mining, which constrains high production and safety mining. By employing the combination of the full view borehole photography technique and the seismic CT scanner technique, the deformation and failure of overlying strata of fully mechanized caving face in shallow coal seam were studied and the failure development of overburden was determined. Results show that the full view borehole photography can reveal the characteristics of strata, and the seismic CT scanner can reflect the characteristics of strata between the boreholes. The combined measurement technique can effectively determine the height of fractured and caved zones. The top end of the caved zone in Yangwangou coal mine employing the top coal caving longwall mining was at the depth of 171 m and fractured zone was at the depth of 106-110 m. The results provide a theoretic foundation for controlling the overburden strata in the shallow buried top coal caving panel.

Overburden management in open pits: options and limits in large limestone quarries

The management of overburden is an important task in open pit exploitations. Site topography and morphology as well as geological and geotechnical properties of natural and remoulded materials are the most important factors affecting the disposal phase. Economic and environmental requirements must be followed in order to achieve the best reclamation results, keeping into account site constraints such as slope stability, hauling and dumping issues, and interactions with groundwater. This paper deals with the above mentioned issues, illustrating a rational approach applied on the case of a large limestone quarry where the thickness of the overburden is relevant and the spoil material has to be dumped in a flooded pit. The proposed multidisciplinary approach led to the selection of most suitable methods for excavation, transportation and disposal. The selection was based on a detailed laboratory and site characterisation that defined favorable and adverse factors to be considered during the preliminary study of a large quarrying project.

Time-lapse geophysical technology-based study on overburden strata changes induced by modern coal mining

To study the impact of modern coal mining on overlying strata and its water bearing conditions,integrated time-lapse geophysical prospecting integrating 3D seismic,electrical and ground penetrating radar method were used.Through observing and analyzing the geophysical data variations of all stages of pre-mining,mining and post-mining as well as post-mining deposition stable period,impacts of coal mining on stratigraphic structure and its water bearing were studied and modern coal mining induced stratigraphic change pattern was summarized.The research result shows that the stratigraphic structure and the water bearing of surface layer during modern coal mining have self-healing pattern with mining time;the self-healing capability of near-surface strata is relatively strong while the roof weak;water bearing selfhealing of near-surface strata is relatively high while the roof strata adjacent to mined coal beds low.Due to integrated time-lapse geophysical prospecting technology has extra time dimension which makes up the deficiency of static analysis of conventional geophysical methods,it can better highlight the dynamic changes of modern coal mining induced overburden strata and its water bearing conditions.

Evaluation of seismic potential in a longwall mine with massive sandstone roof under deep overburden

A recent seismic event was recorded by a deep longwall mine in Virginia at 3.7 ML on the local magnitude scale and 3.4 MMS by the United States Geological Survey(USGS) in 2016.Further investigations by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH) and Coronado Coal researchers have shown that this event was associated with geological features that have also been associated with other, similar seismic events in Virginia.Detailed mapping and geological exploration in the mining area has made it possible to forecast possible locations for future seismic activity.In order to use the geology as a forecaster of mining-induced seismic events and their energy potential, two primary components are needed.The first component is a long history of recorded seismic events with accurately plotted locations.The second component is a high density of geologic data within the mining area.In this case, 181 events of 1.0 MLor greater were recorded by the mine's seismic network between January, 2009, and October, 2016.Within the mining area, 897 geophysical logs, 224 core holes, and 1031 fiberscope holes were examined by mine geologists.From this information, it was found that overburden thickness, sandstone thickness, and sandstone quality contributed greatly to seismic locations.After the data was analyzed, a pattern became apparent indicating that the majority of seismic events occurred under specific conditions.Three forecast maps were created based on geology of previous seismic locations.The forecast maps have shown an accuracy of within 74%–89% when compared to the recorded 181 events that were1.0 MLor greater when considering three major geological criteria of overburden thickness of 579.12 m or greater, 6.096–12.192 m of sandstone within 15.24 m of the Pocahontas number 3 seam, and a longwall caving height of 4.572 m or less.

Investigation of overburden behaviour for grout injection to control mine subsidence

This paper describes a field and numerical investigation of the overburden strata response to underground longwall mining, focusing on overburden strata movements and stress concentrations.Subsidence related high stress concentrations are believed to have caused damage to river beds in the Illawarra region, Australia. In the field study, extensometers, stressmeters and piezometers were installed in the overburden strata of a longwall panel at West Cliff Colliery. During longwall mining, a total of1000 mm tensile deformation was recorded in the overburden strata and as a result bed separation and gaps were formed. Bed separation was observed to start in the roof of the mining seam and gradually propagate toward the surface as the longwall face advanced. A substantial increase in the near-surface horizontal stresses was recorded before the longwall face reached the monitored locations. The stresses continued to increase as mining advanced and they reached a peak at about 200 m behind the longwall face. A numerical modelling study identified that the angle of breakage(i.e., the angle of the boundary of caved zone) behind the longwall face and over the goaf was 22–25° from vertical direction. This is consistent with the monitoring results showing the high gradient of stresses and strains on the surface150–320 m behind the mining face.

Selection of overburden surface mining method in West Virginia by analytical hierarchy process

The broad objective of this research was to improve current surface mining practices and reduce negative environmental impact of overburden removal in West Virginia(WV).The specific objectives were to(i)compare conventional surface mining method(drilling,blasting,digging,and loading)to a surface miner(SM)method,and(ii)apply the analytical hierarchy process(AHP)to help select the optimal mining method based on production,cost and environmental criteria.The design and the procedures used in this research involve five interrelated modules:(i)rock properties of overburden in WV,(ii)drilling and blasting,(iii)digging and loading,(iv)SM method,and(v)comparative analysis and selection of the optimal mining method by AHP.Results of this research indicate that application of SM method would yield higher cost of overburden removal than conventional mining methods in rocks with a high unconfined compressive strength and abrasivity.A significant advantage of SM method,where applicable,is the elimination of the negative environmental impacts associated with blasting.

Key technologies for construction of Jinping traffic tunnel with an extremely deep overburden and a high water pressure

Jinping traffic tunnel is one of the deepest traffic tunnels in the world with a maximum overburden of 2 375 m and the overburden over 73% of its total length is larger than 1 500 m. The tunnel is 17.5 km long and designed to provide a shortcut road between two hydropower stations： Jinping I and Jinping II of the Jinping Hydropower Project, located on Yalong River, Liangshan State, Sichuan Province, China. The tunnel is so deep that building any shafts is impossible. The construction starts from both ends （east and west ends）, and the construction length from the west end is 10 km with a blind heading. This paper deals with an overview of this project and analysis of the engineering features, as well as key technologies developed and applied during the construction, including geological prediction, rock burst prevention under a super high in-situ stress, sealing of groundwater with a high pressure and big flow rate, ventilation for a blind heading of 10 km, wet spraying of shotcrete at zones of rock burst and rich water, etc. The application of the new technologies to the construction achieved a high quality tunnel within the contract period.

Numerical analysis of rainfall effects in external overburden dump

The effect of slope angle for external overburden dump in response to average and heavy rainfall has been analyzed using a two dimensional finite difference method of transient water flow through unsaturated–saturated soil. The external dump stability is evaluated for five geomaterial types on the basis of globally accepted safety factor analysis technique, based on shear strength reduction approach using finite difference method. The results obtained from the finite difference method of analysis indicate that the external dump with more than 30° slope angle is greatly influenced by the rainfall under the studied conditions for geomaterial 3, 4 and 5, whereas dumps with geomaterial 1 and 2 remain safe. The analysis shows that major slope failure is out of preview for the studied rainfall conditions.

Physico-chemical and elemental investigation of aqueous leaching of high sulfur coal and mine overburden from Ledo coalfield of Northeast India

Acid mine drainage （AMD） is one of the major problems in high sulfur coal mining areas generating acidic water. The acidic mine water generated contain hazardous elements in varying concentrations. The Northeastern Indian coalfield produces considerable amounts of AMD. The AMD and metal leaching from coal and mine over burden （OB） are the two important naturally occurring processes. In order to know the AMD potential, the aqueous leaching experiment of a few coal and OB samples from the Ledo colliery of the Northeastern coalfield, Mergherita （India）, at different time periods （1, 3, 5, and 8 h） and at different temperatures （25, 45, 65, and 90℃） were performed in the laboratory. The physico- chemical analysis of the aqueous leachates shows the pH, electrical conductivity （EC）, and total dissolved solid （TDS） in the range of 1.62-3.52, 106-2006 μs/cm, and 106-1003 ppm for the raw coal samples respectively. The OB samples produced pH, EC, and TDS in the range of 3.68-6.92, 48.6-480 μs/cm, and 69.5-240 ppm respectively. From the study, it was revealed that the concentrations of major （Si, A1, K, Na, Fe, Ca, Mg）, minor （Mn） and trace/hazardous elements （As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Se, Zn） considerably change with leaching time as well as with leaching temperature. Out of these elements As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Cr, and Se are of greater environmental importance. Alteration of the physico-chemical structure of the coal and OB samples resulting from leaching was also studied by field emission scanning electron microscope- energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy method. The release of the potentially hazardous elements from the raw coal and OB during leaching time periods to the leachates was detected by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy and ion-chromatographic analyses. The major minerals found in coal and OB are quartz （SiO2）, pyrite （FeS2）, hematite, marcasite, and kaolinite. The association of different functional groups in minerals and their mode of association were studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analytical techniques. The present laboratory study will be useful in relating the characteristics of aqueous leaching from coal and mine OB with the natural weathering condition at the coal mine area.

An integrated method to calculate the spatial distribution of overburden strata failure in longwall mines by coupling GIS and FLAC^(3D)

The spatial distribution of overburden strata failure is of significant importance to affect the safety of underground mining. Because the traditional methods cannot be applied in all coal mines due to geological conditions or mining structures, a method of coupling FLAC3D with GIS was presented to calculate the spatial distribution of overburden strata failure in longwall coal mines. After building the spatio-temporal database from the calculation results of FLAC3D, the height of the mining-induced fractured zone in the overburden strata can be calculated by using the given height function. The results of case study show that the height of the fractured zone reached the maximum value at the face advance equal to about the panel width. The outcome of the work presented will be helpful in practice to improve safety in the production.