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Interaction of a Shield Structure with Surrounding Rock Strata Under Geo-static and Fatigue Loadings

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Abstract

Shields are deployed in a longwall panel to support incumbent rock strata and to protect shearer and persons working at the face. Shields undergo repeated loading cycles due to web cutting of the coal face and also withstand the geo-static loading of the overburden and of the main roofs. In this study, a real-life shield structure and surrounding rock strata of a working longwall panel are modeled using 3D finite element method for analyzing the responses of each component of shield due to geo-static loading and cyclic loading on top of the canopy. The results show that front portion of the canopy experiences tensile loading while the middle and back sides carry the major overburden load. This study also suggests the ideal setting pressure of hydraulic legs is about 70 to 80% of yield pressure for most of the geo-mining conditions. Life cycle study reveals that pin joint areas between the goaf shield and the lamniscate links are the most vulnerable for structural stability of the shield under repeated cyclic loading. The paper also elaborates the yield zones that may develop in the coal face and roofs and identifies the maximum possible mining cycles that a shield may experience due to fatigue loading.

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The data used for conduct of this study is presented in the manuscript.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the management of the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) for allowing to visit the mine and collect the relevant data for conducting the study.

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  1. Department of Mining Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721 302, India

    Sreenivasa Rao Islavath & Debasis Deb

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  1. Sreenivasa Rao Islavath
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  2. Debasis Deb
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Correspondence to Sreenivasa Rao Islavath.

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Islavath, S., Deb, D. Interaction of a Shield Structure with Surrounding Rock Strata Under Geo-static and Fatigue Loadings. Geotech Geol Eng 40, 2949–2965 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-022-02072-2

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