Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Contribution of Individual Support Components to Roof Stability in a Longwall Gateroad

  • Published:
Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

According to the 2010–2019 Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) accident report database, 91% of reported ground control accidents in US longwall mines were caused by roof instability. Gateroads are subjected to significant changes in loading conditions from the development to the longwall abutment loading phases. When combined with thinly bedded shale roof, found in many US longwall coal mines, the design of efficient roof support becomes challenging. In previous work, the bonded block modeling (BBM) of roof by UDEC was validated against field extensometer measurements in a longwall entry roof at a 180-m depth of cover. The BBM was shown capable of capturing delamination and buckling of shale roof, one of the main roof instability mechanisms in longwall mines. This paper presents the recent findings on the roof-support interaction using BBM models of the same longwall entry. The effects of cable bolts, roof bolt density, and strap support on potential roof instability are studied. Results demonstrate the potential for BBM numerical models to help understand the complex roof and support system interactions and to assist with optimizing gateroad support systems.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Coggan J, Gao F, Stead D, Elmo D (2012) Numerical modelling of the effects of weak immediate roof lithology on coal mine roadway stability. Int J Coal Geol 2012(90):100–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Cundall P, Hart R (1992) Numerical modelling of discontinua. Eng Comput 9(2):101–113. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb023851

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Donovan K, Pariseau WE, Cepak M (1984) Finite element approach to cable bolting in steeply dipping VCR stopes. In: Geomechanics applications in underground hardrock mining. Society of Mining Engineers, New York, pp. 65–90

  4. Esterhuizen GS (2012) A stability factor for supported mine entries based on numerical model analysis. The 31st international conference on ground control in mining. West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV

  5. Esterhuizen GS, Gearhart D, Klemetti T, Dougherty H, Van Dyke M (2019) Analysis of gateroad stability at two longwall mines based on field monitoring results and numerical model analysis. Int J Min Sci Technol 29(1):35–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmst.2018.11.021

  6. Esterhuizen GS, Bajpayee TS, Ellenberger JL, Murphy MM (2013) Practical estimation of rock properties for modeling bedded coal mine strata using the Coal Mine Roof Rating. 47th US Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium. American Rock Mechanics Association, Alexandria, VA, 1634–1647

  7. Gao FQ, Stead D (2014) The application of a modified Voronoi logic to brittle fracture modelling at the laboratory and field scale. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 68:1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2014.02.003

  8. Geomechanica Inc. (2016) IRAZU computer software. Retrieved from www.geomechanica.com

  9. Hasenfus GJ, Su DWH (2006) Horizontal stress and coal mines: Twenty-five years of experience. International conference on ground control in mining. West Virginia University, Morgantown, 256–267

  10. Itasca (2013) Itasca Consulting Group Inc. UDEC (Universal Distinct Element Code), Minneapolis

  11. Khademian Z, Esterhuizen GS, Sears M (2022) Longwall gateroad stability analysis based on field monitoring and bonded block modeling results. In: Proceedings of the 41st international conference on ground control in mining. Canonsburg, PA

  12. Lorig LJ, Cundall PA (1989, 1989) Modeling of reinforced concrete using the distinct element method. Paper presented at the Fracture of Concrete and Rock, New York, NY

  13. Molinda GM, Mark C (1994) Coal Mine Roof Rating (CMRR): a practical rock mass classification for coal mines. Technical Report. NTIS issue number 199413. U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh Research Center, Pittsburgh, PA

  14. Munjiza A, Owen DRJ, Bicanic N (1995) A combined finite-discrete element method in transient dynamics of fracturing solids. Eng Comput 12(2):145–174. https://doi.org/10.1108/02644409510799532

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Rashed G, Xue Y, Khademian Z, Sears M (2022) Ground-fall accident trends in mining: 2010 to 2019. In: Proceedings of the 41st international conference on ground control in mining. Canonsburg, PA

  16. Sinha S, Walton G (2021) Modeling the behavior of a coal pillar rib using bonded block models with emphasis on ground-support interaction. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 2021:148

    Google Scholar 

  17. Sinha S (2020) Advancing continuum and discontinuum models of brittle rock damage and rock-support interaction. PhD dissertation, In: Colorado school of mines. Arthur Lakes Library. https://hdl.handle.net/11124/176305

  18. Stavrou A, Murphy W (2018) Quantifying the effects of scale and heterogeneity on the confined strength of micro-defected rocks. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 102:131–143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2018.01.019

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Tadolini CS, Tinsly J, McDonnell JP (2012) The next generation of cable bolts for improved ground control. In: Proceedings of the 31st international conference on ground control in mining. In: Proceedings of the 33rd international conference on ground control in mining. West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, pp 27–34

  20. Tulu IB, Esterhuizen GS, Gearhart D, Klemetti TM, Mohamed KM, Su DWH (2018) Analysis of global and local stress changes in a longwall gateroad. Int J Min Sci Technol 28(1):127–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmst.2017.11.015

  21. Tulu IB, Esterhuizen GS, Klemetti T, Murphy MM, Sumner J, Sloan M (2016) A case study of multi-seam coal mine entry stability analysis with strength reduction method. Int J Min Sci Technol 26(2):193–198

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of Dr. Essie Esterhuizen in the development of the modeling methodology and collection of field geomechanical data.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pittsburgh Mining Research Division, CDC NIOSH, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Zoheir Khademian & Morgan Sears

Authors
  1. Zoheir Khademian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Morgan Sears
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zoheir Khademian.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Disclaimer

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Khademian, Z., Sears, M. Contribution of Individual Support Components to Roof Stability in a Longwall Gateroad. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 41, 695–705 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-024-00925-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-024-00925-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation