Design of comprehensive test system for detecting overlying strata mining-induced fractures on surface with radon gas

Based on radon gas properties and its existing projects applications, we firstly attempted to apply geo- physical and chemical properties of radon gas in the field of mining engineering, and imported radioac- tive measurement method to detect the development process of the overlying strata mining-induced fractures and their contained water quality in underground coal mining, which not only innovates a more simple-fast-reliable detection method, but also further expands the applications of radon gas detection technology in mining field. A 3D simulation design of comprehensive testing system for detecting strata mining-induced fractures on surface with radon gas (CTSR) was carried out by using a large-scale 3D solid model design software Pro/Engineer (Pro/E), which overcame three main disadvantages of ''static design thought, 2D planar design and heavy workload for remodification design'' on exiting design for mining engineering test systems. Meanwhile, based on the simulation design results of Pro/E software, the sta- bility of the jack-screw pressure bar for the key component in CTSR was checked with a material mechan- ics theory, which provided a reliable basis for materials selection during the latter machining process.

Extended finite element-based cohesive zone method for modeling simultaneous hydraulic fracture height growth in layered reservoirs

In this study,a fully coupled hydromechanical model within the extended finite element method(XFEM)-based cohesive zone method(CZM)is employed to investigate the simultaneous height growth behavior of multi-cluster hydraulic fractures in layered porous reservoirs with modulus contrast.The coupled hydromechanical model is first verified against an analytical solution and a laboratory experiment.Then,the fracture geometry(e.g.height,aperture,and area)and fluid pressure evolutions of multiple hydraulic fractures placed in a porous reservoir interbedded with alternating stiff and soft layers are investigated using the model.The stress and pore pressure distributions within the layered reservoir during fluid injection are also presented.The simulation results reveal that stress umbrellas are easily to form among multiple hydraulic fractures’tips when propagating in soft layers,which impedes the simultaneous height growth.It is also observed that the impediment effect of soft layer is much more significant in the fractures suppressed by the preferential growth of adjoining fractures.After that,the combined effect of in situ stress ratio and fracturing spacing on the multi-fracture height growth is presented,and the results elucidate the influence of in situ stress ratio on the height growth behavior depending on the fracture spacing.Finally,it is found that the inclusion of soft layers changes the aperture distribution of outmost and interior hydraulic fractures.The results obtained from this study may provide some insights on the understanding of hydraulic fracture height containment observed in filed.

COHESIVE ZONE FINITE ELEMENT-BASED MODELING OF HYDRAULIC FRACTURES

Hydraulic fracturing is a powerful technology used to stimulate fluid production from reservoirs. The fully 3-D numerical simulation of the hydraulic fracturing process is of great importance to the efficient application of this technology, but is also a great challenge because of the strong nonlinear coupling between the viscous flow of fluid and fracture propagation. By taking advantage of a cohesive zone method to simulate the fracture process, a finite element model based on the existing pore pressure cohesive finite elements has been established to investigate the propagation of a penny-shaped hydraulic fracture in an infinite elastic medium. The effect of cohesive material parameters and fluid viscosity on the hydraulic fracture behaviour has been investigated. Excellent agreement between the finite element results and analytical solutions for the limiting case where the fracture process is dominated by rock fracture toughness demonstrates the ability of the cohesive zone finite element model in simulating the hydraulic fracture growth for this case.

Numerical simulation of gas migration into mining-induced fracture network in the goaf

Gas extraction practice has been proven for the clear majority of coal mines in China to be unfavorable using drill holes in the coal seam. Rather, mining-induced fractures in the goaf should be utilized for gas extraction. To study gas migration in mining-induced fractures, one mining face of 10 th Mine in Pingdingshan Coalmine Group in Henan, China, has been selected as the case study for this work. By establishing the mathematical model of gas migration under the influence of coal seam mining, discrete element software UDEC and Multiphysics software COMSOL are employed to model gas migration in mining-induced fractures above the goaf. The results show that as the working face advances, the goaf overburden gradually forms a mining-induced fracture network in the shape of a trapezoid, the size of which increases with the distance of coal face advance. Compared with gas migration in the overburden matrix, the gas flow in the fracture network due to mining is far greater. The largest mining-induced fracture is located at the upper end of the trapezoidal zone, which results in the largest gas flux in the network. When drilling for gas extraction in a mining-induced fracture field, the gas concentration is reduced in the whole region during the process of gas drainage, and the rate of gas concentration drops faster in the fractured zone. It is shown that with gas drainage, the gas flow velocity in the mininginduced fracture network is faster.

Numerical simulation of spatial distributions of mining-induced stress and fracture fields for three coal mining layouts

In this study, the spatial distributions of stress and fracture fields for three typical underground coal mining layouts, Le, non-pillar mining （NM）, top-coal caving mining （TCM） and protective coal-seam mining （PCM）, are modeled using discrete element software UDEC, The numerical results show that different mining layouts can lead to different mining-induced stress fields, resulting in diverse fracture fields, For the PCM, the mining influenced area in front of the mining faces is the largest, and the stress concentration factor in front of the mining faces is the lowest, The spatial shapes of the mining-induced fracture fields under NM, TCM and PCM differ, and they are characterized by trapezoidal, triangular and tower shapes, respectively, The fractal dimensions of mining-induced fractures of the three mining layouts decrease in the order of PCM, TCM and NM, It is also shown that the PCM can result in a better gas control effect in coal mines with high outburst potential, The numerical results are expected to provide a basis for understanding of mining-induced gas seepage fields and provide a reference for high- efficiency coal mining,

Fractures interaction and propagation mechanism of multi-cluster fracturing on laminated shale oil reservoir

The continental shale reservoirs of Jurassic Lianggaoshan Formation in Sichuan Basin contain thin lamina,which is characterized by strong plasticity and developed longitudinal shell limestone interlayer.To improve the production efficiency of reservoirs by multi-cluster fracturing,it is necessary to consider the unbalanced propagation of hydraulic fractures and the penetration effect of fractures.This paper constructed a numerical model of multi-fracture propagation and penetration based on the finite element coupling cohesive zone method;considering the construction cluster spacing,pump rate,lamina strength and other parameters studied the influencing factors of multi-cluster fracture interaction propagation;combined with AE energy data and fracture mode reconstruction method,quantitatively characterized the comprehensive impact of the strength of thin interlayer rock interfaces on the initiation and propagation of fractures that penetrate layers,and accurately predicted the propagation pattern of hydraulic fractures through laminated shale oil reservoirs.Simulation results revealed that in the process of multi-cluster fracturing,the proportion of shear damage is low,and mainly occurs in bedding fractures activated by outer fractures.Reducing the cluster spacing enhances the fracture system's penetration ability,though it lowers the activation efficiency of lamina.The high plasticity of the limestone interlayer may impact the vertical propagation distance of the main fracture.Improving the interface strength is beneficial to the reconstruction of the fracture height,but the interface communication effect is limited.Reasonable selection of layers with moderate lamina strength for fracturing stimulation,increasing the pump rate during fracturing and setting the cluster spacing reasonably are beneficial to improve the effect of reservoir stimulation.

Numerical investigation of geostress influence on the grouting reinforcement effectiveness of tunnel surrounding rock mass in fault fracture zones

Grouting is a widely used approach to reinforce broken surrounding rock mass during the construction of underground tunnels in fault fracture zones,and its reinforcement effectiveness is highly affected by geostress.In this study,a numerical manifold method(NMM)based simulator has been developed to examine the impact of geostress conditions on grouting reinforcement during tunnel excavation.To develop this simulator,a detection technique for identifying slurry migration channels and an improved fluid-solid coupling(FeS)framework,which considers the influence of fracture properties and geostress states,is developed and incorporated into a zero-thickness cohesive element(ZE)based NMM(Co-NMM)for simulating tunnel excavation.Additionally,to simulate coagulation of injected slurry,a bonding repair algorithm is further proposed based on the ZE model.To verify the accuracy of the proposed simulator,a series of simulations about slurry migration in single fractures and fracture networks are numerically reproduced,and the results align well with analytical and laboratory test results.Furthermore,these numerical results show that neglecting the influence of geostress condition can lead to a serious over-estimation of slurry migration range and reinforcement effectiveness.After validations,a series of simulations about tunnel grouting reinforcement and tunnel excavation in fault fracture zones with varying fracture densities under different geostress conditions are conducted.Based on these simula-tions,the influence of geostress conditions and the optimization of grouting schemes are discussed.

Tensile Fractures and in situ Stress Measurement Data Constraints on Cretaceous-Present Tectonic Stress Field Evolution of the Tanlu Fault Zone in Shandong Province,North China Craton

Tectonic stress fields are the key drivers of tectonic events and the evolution of regional structures.The tectonic stress field evolution of the Tanlu fault zone in Shandong Province,located in the east of the North China Craton(NCC),may have preserved records of the NCC’s tectonic history.Borehole television survey and hydraulic fracturing were conducted to analyze the paleo and present tectonic stress fields.Three groups of tensile fractures were identified via borehole television,their azimuths being NNW-SSE,NW-SE and NE-SW,representing multiple stages of tectonic events.Hydraulic fracturing data indicates that the study region is experiencing NEE-SWW-oriented compression and nearly-N-Soriented extension,in accordance with strike-slip and compression.Since the Cretaceous,the orientation of the extensional stress has evolved counterclockwise and sequentially from nearly-NW-SE-oriented to NE-SW-oriented and even nearly N-S-oriented,the stress state having transitioned from strike-slip-extension to strike-slip-compression,in association with the rotating and oblique subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the NCC,with the participation of the Indian Plate.

Characterisation of Fractures and Fracture Zones in a Carbonate Aquifer Using Electrical Resistivity Tomography and Pricking Probe Methodes

Position, width and fragmentation level of fracture zones and position, sig-nificance and characteristic distance of fractures were aimed to determine in a carbonate aquifer. These are fundamental parameters, e.g. in hydrogeological modelling of aquifers, due to their role in subsurface water movements. The description of small scale fracture systems is however a challenging task. In the test area (Kádárta, Bakony Mts, Hungary), two methods proved to be applicable to get reasonable information about the fractures: Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Pricking-Probe (PriP). PriP is a simple mechanical tool which has been successfully applied in archaeological investigations. ERT results demonstrated its applicability in this small scale fracture study. PriP proved to be a good verification tool both for fracture zone mapping and detecting fractures, but in certain areas, it produced different results than the ERT. The applicability of this method has therefore to be tested yet, although its problems most probably origin from human activity which reorganises the near-surface debris distribution. In the test site, both methods displayed fracture zones including a very characteristic one and a number of individual fractures and determined their characteristic distance and significance. Both methods prove to be able to produce hydrogeologically important parameters even individually, but their simultaneous application is recommended to decrease the possible discrepancies.

Fracture suppression at steel/concrete connection zones by ECC

In order to avoid brittle fracture failure, a ductile engineered cementitious composite （ECC） was attempted in steel/concrete connection zones to replace normal concrete. The influence of the ECC material ductility on connection failure modes and structural performance was investigated via the pushout test of stud/ECC connection, the pullout test of two-dimensional anchor bolt/ECC connection and the finite element modeling （FEM）. The experimental results suggest that the micromechanically designed ECC with a tensile ductility 300 times that of normal concrete switches the brittle fracture failure mode to a ductile one in steel connection zones. This modification in material behavior leads to higher load carrying capacity and structural ductility, which is also confirmed in FEM investigation. The enhancement in structural response through material ductility engineering is expected to be applicable to a wide range of engineering structures where steel and concrete come into contact.

Mining-induced movement properties and fissure time-space evolution law in overlying strata

Mining-induced fracture zone will be produced in the overlying strata after the coal was mined.In this article,the mining-induced deformation of overlying strata and the time-space evolution law of fissure were studied by the methods of physical simulation and field measurement.The results show that bed separation fissure and vertical fissure will appear in the overlying strata above mining face,which form the wedge-shaped fissure zone.The open degree of fissure depends on the size of uncoordinated deformation between neighbor layers,and the absolute strata sinking controls both the width of bed separation zone and the open degree of vertical breakage fissure.At last,the calculating formula was deducted based on theoretical analysis.

Comprehensive assessment on dynamic roof instability under fractured rock mass conditions in the excavation disturbed zone

The damage process of fractured rock mass showed that the fracture in rocks induced roof collapse in Yangchangwan Coal Mine, China. The rock mass was particularly weak and fractured. There occurred 6 large-scale dynamical roof falls in the excavation disturbed zone （EDZ） with the collapsing volume of 216 m^3. First, the field detailed geological environment, regional seismic dynamics, and dynamic instability of roadways were generally investigated. Second, the field multiple-index monitoring measurements for detecting the deep delamination of the roof, convergence deformation, bolt-cable load, acoustic emission （AE） characteristic parameters, total AE events, AE energy-releasing rate, rock mass fracture, and damage were arranged. Finally, according to the time-space-strength relations, a quantitative assessment of the influence of rock-mass damage on the dynamic roof instability was accomplished.

Assessing fracturing mechanisms and evolution of excavation damaged zone of tunnels in interlocked rock masses at high stresses using a finitediscrete element approach

Deep underground excavations within hard rocks can result in damage to the surrounding rock mass mostly due to redistribution of stresses.Especially within rock masses with non-persistent joints,the role of the pre-existing joints in the damage evolution around the underground opening is of critical importance as they govern the fracturing mechanisms and influence the brittle responses of these hard rock masses under highly anisotropic in situ stresses.In this study,the main focus is the impact of joint network geometry,joint strength and applied field stresses on the rock mass behaviours and the evolution of excavation induced damage due to the loss of confinement as a tunnel face advances.Analysis of such a phenomenon was conducted using the finite-discrete element method (FDEM).The numerical model is initially calibrated in order to match the behaviour of the fracture-free,massive Lac du Bonnet granite during the excavation of the Underground Research Laboratory (URL) Test Tunnel,Canada.The influence of the pre-existing joints on the rock mass response during excavation is investigated by integrating discrete fracture networks (DFNs) of various characteristics into the numerical models under varying in situ stresses.The numerical results obtained highlight the significance of the pre-existing joints on the reduction of in situ rock mass strength and its capacity for extension with both factors controlling the brittle response of the material.Furthermore,the impact of spatial distribution of natural joints on the stability of an underground excavation is discussed,as well as the potentially minor influence of joint strength on the stress induced damage within joint systems of a non-persistent nature under specific conditions.Additionally,the in situ stress-joint network interaction is examined,revealing the complex fracturing mechanisms that may lead to uncontrolled fracture propagation that compromises the overall stability of an underground excavation.

Mechanical mechanism of overlying strata breaking and development of fractured zone during close-distance coal seam group mining

This study mainly investigates the mechanical mechanism of overlying strata breaking and the development of fractured zones during close-distance coal seam group mining in the Gaojialiang coal mine.First,a mechanical model for the second"activation"of broken overlying strata is established,and the related mechanical"activation"conditions are obtained.A recursive formula for calculating the separation distance of overlying strata is deduced.Second,a height determining method for predicting the height of fractured zones during close-distance coal seam group mining is proposed based on two values,namely,the separation distance and ultimate subsidence value of overlying strata.This method is applied to calculate the fractured zone heights in nos.20107 and 20307 mining faces.The calculated results are almost equal to the field observation results.Third,a modified formula for calculating the height of a waterflowing fractured zone is proposed.A comparison of the calculated and observed results shows that the errors are small.The height determining method and modified formula not only build a theoretical foundation for water conservation mining at the Gaojialiang coal mine,but also provide a reference for estimating the height of water-flowing fractured zones in other coal mines with similar conditions.

Predicting the height of water-flow fractured zone during coal mining under the Xiaolangdi Reservoir

It is very important to determine the extent of the fractured zone through which water can flow before coal mining under the water bodies.This paper deals with methods to obtain information about overburden rock failure and the development of the fractured zone while coal mining in Xin'an Coal Mine.The risk of water inrush in this mine is great because 40%of the mining area is under the Xiaolangdi reservoir.Numerical simulations combined with geophysical methods were used in this paper to obtain the development law of the fractured zone under different mining conditions.The comprehensive geophysical method described in this paper has been demonstrated to accurately predict the height of the water-flow fractured zone.Results from the new model, which created from the results of numerical simulations and field measurements,were successfully used for making decisions in the Xin'an Coal Mine when mining under the Xiaolangdi Reservoir.Industrial scale experiments at the number 11201,14141 and 14191 working faces were safely carried out.These achievements provide a successful background for the evaluation and application of coal mining under large reservoirs.

Height of fractured zone inside overlying strata under high-intensity mining in China

The height of fractured zone(HFZ) at the high-intensity longwall mining panel plays a vital role in the safety analysis of coal mining under bodies of water. This paper described definitions of the highintensity mining. The processes of overburden failure transfer(OFT) were analyzed, which were divided into the development stage and the termination stage. Through theoretical analysis, the limited suspension-distance and the limited overhanging distance were proposed to judge the damage of each stratum. Mechanical models of strata suspended integrity and overhanging stability were established.A theoretical method to predict the HFZ at the high-intensity longwall mining panel was put forward based on the processes of OFT. Taking a high-intensity longwall mining panel(No. 11915 panel) as an example, the theoretical method proposed, the engineering analogy and the empirical formulas in the Regulation were used to predict the HFZ. The results show that the theoretical result is consistent with the engineering analogies' result and empirical formulas' result. The rationality and reliability of the theoretical method proposed is verified.

Fractal Feature of Western Fracture Zone in Xikuangshan Antimony Mine and its Geological Significance

In Xikuangshan antimony ore-field, the western fracture zone is a composite of major fault, F75, and its secondary faults, such as F71, F72 and F3 etc.. On plane, the fracture zone scatters from southwest to northeast, and concentrates from upper to deeper level on profile. All ore-bodies exist in the carbonate of footwall of the major fault or that of the footwall of its secondary faults. From 480 m and 320 m to 120 m level, the fractal dimensional number of the fault system decreases from 1.482 2 and 1.448 6 to 1.339 2, which indicates the form of fracture zone becoming more simple at deeper level. And in five sub-ranges, the III and IV sub-ranges are the known area, and the I, II and V sub-ranges are unknown. The fractal studies of the western fracture zone in these sub-ranges show that the fractal dimensional numbers of the I and II, being 1.201 5 and 1.278 0, respectively, are smaller than that of the III and IV, being 1.475 9 and 1.576 9, respectively; and that of the V, being 1.571 2, keeps with that of the III, IV sub-ranges. So mineralization is not well in I and II sub-ranges, and V sub-range is the best to benefit mineralization.

Research of the electrical anisotropic characteristics of water-conducting fractured zones in coal seams

Water flooding disasters are one of the five natural coal-mining disasters that threaten the lives of coal miners. The main causes of this flooding are water-conducting fractured zones within coal seams. However, when resistivity methods are used to detect water-conducting fractured zones in coal seams, incorrect conclusions can be drawn because of electrical anisotropy within the water-conducting fractured zones. We present, in this paper, a new geo-electrical model based on the geology of water-conducting fractured zones in coal seams. Factors that influence electrical anisotropy were analyzed, including formation water resistivity, porosity, fracture density, and fracture surface roughness, pressure, and dip angle. Numerical simulation was used to evaluate the proposed electrical method. The results demonstrate a closed relationship between the shape of apparent resistivity and the strike and dip of a fracture. Hence, the findings of this paper provide a practical resistivity method for coal-mining production.

Formation mechanism and height calculation of the caved zone and water-conducting fracture zone in solid backfill mining

To study the heights of the caved zone and water-conducting fracture zone in backfill mining,the failure mechanism of strata during backfill mining was analyzed,and a method for determining the heights of the two zones was proposed based on key strata theory.The movement and failure regularity of the strata above the backfilling panel were revealed through numerical simulation.Considering the geologic conditions of the CT101 backfilling panel,the height of the fracture zone was determined using the proposed method along with empirical calculation,numerical simulation,and borehole detection.The results of the new calculation method were similar to in situ measurements.The traditional empirical formula,which is based on the equivalent mining height model,resulted in large errors during calculation.The findings indicate the reliability of the new method and demonstrate its significance for creating reference data for related studies.

Height prediction of water-flowing fracture zone with a geneticalgorithm support-vector-machine method

Prediction of the height of a water-flowing fracture zone(WFFZ)is the foundation for evaluating water bursting conditions on roof coal.By taking the Binchang mining area as the study area and conducting an in-depth study of the influence of coal seam thickness,burial depth,working face length,and roof category on the height of a WFFZ,we proposed that the proportion of hard rock in different roof ranges should be used to characterise the influence of roof category on WFFZ height.Based on data of WFFZ height and its influence index obtained from field observations,a prediction model is established for WFFZ height using a combination of a genetic algorithm and a support-vector machine.The reliability and superiority of the prediction model were verified by a comparative study and an engineering application.The results show that the main factors affecting WFFZ height in the study area are coal seam thickness,burial depth,working face length,and roof category.Compared with multiple-linear-regression and back-propagation neural-network approaches,the height-prediction model of the WFFZ based on a genetic-algorithm support-vector-machine method has higher training and prediction accuracy and is more suitable for WFFZ prediction in the mining area.