• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.335-343
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• 2014

Room-and-pillar mining method is one of the most popular underground mining method in the world. If the room-and-pillar mining method is able to be adopted in civil works, it would be highly probable to reduce underground construction costs and to expand a underground structure in use. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the design procedure of unsupported rock pillars which are indispensable to ensure the stability of a room-and-pillar underground structure. Parametric studies on their key design parameters are also carried out for 125 different kinds of design conditions. From the study, the width of a rock pillar is found to show a linear relationship with its corresponding safety factor. The safety factor of a unsupported rock pillar decreased drastically like a negative exponential function as the ratio of room width to pillar width increases in the same rock strength condition. Based on the parametric studies, a design chart to simply evaluate the geometric design parameters of a unsupported rock pillar satisfying a design safety factor is also proposed in this study.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.195-208
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• 2013

We employed electrical resistivity and optical borehole imaging methods to identify underground cavities and determine ground subsidence rate at the study area affected by land subsidence due to abandoned underground mines. At the study site 1, the anomalous zones of low resistivity ranging between 100 ohm-meter and 150 ohm-meter were observed and confirmed as an abandoned underground mine by subsequent borehole drilling and optical borehole imaging. Although the electrical resistivity survey was unavailable due to the paved surface of the study site 2, we were able to locate another abandoned underground mine with the collapsed mine shaft based on the distribution of the ore veins and confirmed it with borehole drilling. In addition, we measured vertical displacements of underground features indicating underground subsidence by conducting optical borehole imaging 6 times over a period of 43 days at the study site 2. The displacement magnitude at the deep segment caused by subsidence appeared to be 3 times larger than those at the shallow segment. Similarly, the displacement duration at the deep segment was 4 times longer than those at the shallow segment. Therefore, the combination of electrical resistivity and optical borehole imaging methods can be effectively applicable to detect and monitor ground subsidence caused by underground cavities.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.372-386
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• 2018

The air quality near the backfilled site area is significantly deteriorated during and even after the curing period of the backfill materials. Hazardous gases such as NH3 and CO2 may leak out prolongedly from the mined-out sites backfilled with the composite carbonate-based material; leakage can be observed at the underground working sites as well as on the surface. At operating mines, underground gas leakage will severely aggravate the workplace environment. The ventilation schemes should supply sufficient air to dilute the contaminated air, and control the toxic gas leakage and dispersion. This study shows the applicability of pressurization ventilation system to control gas leakage and dispersion at the backfilled underground mine site.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.09a
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• pp.158-172
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• 2000

In order to visualize mine cavities, 3D seismic reflection data were acquired at the ground subsidence sites near Nampung coal mine area, Neukguri, Dogye, Samchuck. Full range 3D array with complete range of azimuths on the bins was considered in the data acquisition design. Because of poor S/N data, we estimated the stacking velocities by CVS method, and we estimated the shot and receiver statics on the shot and receiver stack data. We could confirm that features of ground collapse that were expected from the subsidence. In order to visualize the cavities, we need to apply more sophisticated processing schemes, such as velocity analysis, residual statics correction.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.484-492
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• 2016

This study is the numerical analysis for the ground stability assessment in ${\bigcirc}{\bigcirc}$mine. The subsidence factors applied to the numerical analysis were as follows. First, the deterioration of the rock mass properties by excavation of the disturbed zone. Second, using the average lateral pressure coefficient of Korea. Third, a study of the mine history. Fourth, the excavating collapsed rock mass in numerical analysis based on the assumption that the rock mass around the goaf was collapsed due to the mining. The developed methods were applied to the cross section (5+10) of the actual subsidence in ${\bigcirc}{\bigcirc}$mine. The feasibility of the numerical analysis methods was confirmed by providing the same results as those of the actual subsidence. Next, the developed methods were applied to the cross section (3+10) that had a high probability of subsidence and the ground stability was evaluated. The analysis results show that the vertical displacement for the 5+10 cross section occurs at a maximum of 46 mm, whereas the analysis results show that the vertical displacement for the 3+10 cross section occurs at a maximum of 7 mm. Hence, it is concluded that the probability for subsidence is low.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.221-229
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• 2008

The three dimensional model method is widely applied in resource development for feasibility study, mine design, excavation planning and process management by constructing the database of various data in 3 dimensional space. Most of geophysical surveys for the purpose of engineering and resource development are performed in 2 dimensional line survey due to the restriction of the field situation, technical or economical situation and so on. The acquired geophysical data are used as the input for the 2 dimensional inversion under the 2 dimensional assumption. But the geophysical data are affected by 3 dimensional space. Therefore in order to reduce the error caused by 2 dimensional assumption, the 2 dimensional inversion result must be interpreted considering the additional information such as 3 dimensional topography, geological structure, borehole survey etc. The applicability and usability of 3 dimensional modeling method are studied by reviewing the case study to the geophysical data acquired in field of engineering and resource development.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.7-17
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• 2011

We have developed an inversion code for three-dimensional (3D) resistivity tomography including the anisotropy effect. The algorithm is based on the finite element approximations for the forward modelling and Active Constraint Balancing method is adopted to enhance the resolving power of the smoothness constraint least-squares inversion. Using numerical experiments, we have shown that anisotropic inversion is viable to get an accurate image of the subsurface when the subsurface shows strong electrical anisotropy. Moreover, anisotropy can be used as additional information in the interpretation of subsurface. This algorithm was also applied to the field dataset acquired in the abandoned old mine area, where a high-rise apartment block has been built up over a mining tunnel. The main purpose of the investigation was to evaluate the safety analysis of the building due to old mining activities. Strong electrical anisotropy has been observed and it was proven to be caused by geological setting of the site. To handle the anisotropy problem, field data were inverted by a 3D anisotropic tomography algorithm and we could obtain 3D subsurface images, which matches well with geology mapping observations. The inversion results have been used to provide the subsurface model for the safety analysis in rock engineering and we could assure the residents that the apartment has no problem in its safety after the completion of investigation works.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2016

This study deals with the case that was the field application of the microseismic monitoring techniques for the stability monitoring in a domestic mine. The usefulness and limitations of the microseismic techniques were examined through analyzing the microseismic monitored data. The target limestone mine adopted a hybrid room-and-pillar mining method to improve the extraction ratio. The accelerometers were installed in each vertical pillar within the test bed which has the horizontal cross-section $50m{\times}50m$. The measured signals were divided into 4 types; blasting induced signal, drilling induced signal, damage induced signal, and electric noise. The stability analysis was performed based on the measured damage induced signals. After the blasting in the mining section close to the test bed, the damage of the pillar was increased and rockfall near the test bed could be estimated from monitored microseismic data. It was possible to assess the pillar stability from the changes of daily monitored data and the proposed safety criteria from the accumulated monitored data. However, there was a difficulty to determine the 3D microseismic source positions due to the 2D local sensor arrays. Also, it was needed to use real-time monitoring methods in domestic mines. By complementing the problems encountered in the mine application and comparing microseismic monitored data with mining operations, the microseismic monitoring technique can be used as a better safety method.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2024

South Korea's mining industry was actively developed until 1980, but subsequent declining profitability forced many mines to close. Most of the abandoned mines are susceptible to persistent subsidence because of the length of time since mining ceased. Accurate prediction of the locations and times of subsidence is difficult; therefore, this study aims to apply continuum analysis to past cases of subsidence to establish a method of predicting the location and magnitude of future subsidence. The study area is an area of ○○ mining located between the Yangsan fault zone and the Moryang fault zone, in which three subsidence events occurred between 2005 and 2009. Drilling surveys and electrical resistivity surveys were performed at subsidence sites determined the distribution of strata, and through laboratory tests obtained the physico-mechanical properties of the rock. Numerical analysis of the results found that the plastic status area includes the areas of actual subsidence and that continuum analysis can also be used to predict the location and magnitude of subsidence caused by mine goaf.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.623-646
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• 2021

As the demand for electric power increases with acceleration of electrification at home and abroad, the needs for coal-fired electrical power plant are accordingly increased. However, these coal-fired electrical power plants induce also many environmental problems such as increase of air pollutants, increase of possibility of land contamination by reclamation of coal ash, even though these power plants have a good economical efficiency. In case of a by-product of coal-fired electrical power plants, only 70% of them are recycled and the remaining 30% of by-product are fully buried in surrounding ground. Consequently, this study deals with coal ash backfilling mechanism in abandoned mine openings for the purposes of increasing the coal ash recycling rate as well as securing the mine area stability. In order to analyze the backfill and ground reinforcement by interaction between rock mass and backfills, the copying samples of discontinuous surface with different roughnesses were produced for bond strength tests and direct shear tests. And statistical analysis was also conducted to decide the characteristics of bond and shear behavior with joint roughness and their curing day. Numerical simulations were also analyzed for examining the effect of interface behavior on ground stability.