• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.14 no.6 s.53
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• pp.411-422
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• 2004

Sinkhole subsidence occurs over abandoned mine workings and can be detrimental to human lives, damage to properties and other surface structures. In this study, simulation of sinkhole development process is performed using special finite element procedure. Especially, creation of mine voids due to roof falls and generation of goaf from broken rocks are simulated using active-passive-active finite elements. An active or solid element can be made passive or void once the tensile failure criterion is satisfied in the specified sinkhole formation zone. Upon completion of sinkhole development process, these passive elements in again be made active to simulate goal region. Several finite element models are analyzed to evaluate the relationships between sinkhole formation with width of gallery. depth of mine, roof condition and bulking factor of roof rocks. This study demonstrates that the concept of passive elements in numerical analysis can be used effectively for analyzing sinkhole formation or roof fall phenomenon in general.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.511-524
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• 2015

Groundwater causing subsidence in limestone mines is uncommon, and thus relatively poorly investigated. This case study investigated the cause and possibility of future subsidence through an evaluation of ground stability at the Samsung limestone mine, Chungcheongbuk-do. The ground near the mine area was evaluated as unstable due to rainfall permeation, and subsidence in the unmined area resulted from groundwater level drawdown. Future subsidence might occur through the diffusion of subsidence resulting from the small thickness of the mined rock roof, fracture rock joints, and poor ground conditions around the mine. In addition, the risk of additional subsidence by limestone sinkage in corrosion cavities, groundwater level drawdown due to artificial pumping, and rainfall permeation in the limestone zone necessitates reinforcements and other preventative measures.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.449-460
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• 2020

The double-lane arrangement model is frequently used in underground coal mines because it is beneficial to improve the mining efficiency of the working face. When the double-lane arrangement is used, the service time of the reserved roadway increases by twice, which causes several difficulties for the maintenance of the roadway. Given the severe non-uniform deformation of the reserved roadway in the Buertai Coal Mine, the stress distribution law in the mining area, the failure characteristics of roadway and the control effect of support resistance (SR) were systematically studied through on-site monitoring, FLAC 3D numerical simulation, mechanical model analysis. The research shows that the deformation and failure of the reserved roadway mainly manifested as asymmetrical roof sag and floor heave in the region behind the working face, and the roof dripping phenomenon occurred in the severe roof sag area. After the coal is mined out, the stress adjustment around goaf will happen to some extent. For example, the magnitude, direction, and confining pressure ratio of the principal stress at different positions will change. Under the influence of high-stress rotation, the plastic zone of the weak surrounding rock is expanded asymmetrically, which finally leads to the asymmetric failure of roadway. The existing roadway support has a limited effect on the control of the stress field and plastic zone, i.e., the anchor cable reinforcement cannot fully control the roadway deformation under given conditions. Based on obtained results, using roadway grouting and advanced hydraulic support during the secondary mining of the panel 22205 is proposed to ensure roadway safety. This study provides a reference for the stability control of roadway with similar geological conditions.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.449-457
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• 2019

Physical model tests were first performed to investigate the failure pattern of multiple pillar-roof support system. It was observed in the physical model tests, pillars were design with the same mechanical parameters in model #1, cracking occurred simultaneously in panel pillars and the roof above barrier pillars. When pillars 2 to 5 lost bearing capacity, collapse of the roof supported by those pillars occurred. Physical model #2 was design with a relatively weaker pillar (pillar 3) among six pillars. It was found that the whole pillar-roof system was divided into two independent systems by a roof crack, and two pillars collapse and roof subsidence events occurred during the loading process, the first failure event was induced by the pillars failure, and the second was caused by the roof crack. Then, for a multiple pillar-roof support system, three types of failure patterns were analysed based on the condition of pillar and roof. It can be concluded that any failure of a bearing component would cause a subsidence event. However, the barrier pillar could bear the transferred load during the stress redistribution process, mitigating the propagation of collapse or cutting the roof to insulate the collapse area. Importantly, some effective methods were suggested to decrease the risk of catastrophic collapse, and the deep-hole-blasting was employed to improve the stability of the pillar and roof support system in a room and pillar mine.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.215-229
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• 2024

Because of the various patterns of deep-water inrush and complicated mechanisms, accurately predicting mine water inflows is always a difficult problem for coal mine geologists. In study presented in this paper, the water inrush channels were divided into four basic water diversion structures: aquifer, rock fracture zone, fracture zone and goaf. The fluid flow characteristics in each water-conducting structure were investigated by laboratory tests, and multistructure and multisystem coupling flow analysis models of different water-conducting structures were established to describe the entire water inrush process. Based on the research of the water inrush flow paths, the analysis model of different water inrush space structures was established and applied to the prediction of mine water inrush inflow. The results prove that the conduction sequence of different water-conducting structures and the changing rule of permeability caused by stress changes before and after the peak have important influences on the characteristics of mine water-gushing. Influenced by the differences in geological structure and combined with rock mass RQD and fault conductivity characteristics and other mine exploration data, the prediction of mine water inflow can be realized accurately. Taking the water transmitting path in the multistructure as the research object of water inrush, breaking through the limitation of traditional stratigraphic structure division, the prediction of water inflow and the estimation of potentially flooded area was realized, and water bursting intensity was predicted. It is of great significance in making reasonable emergency plans.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-21
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• 2020

The domestic abandoned mines are generating subsidence and it is difficult to predict this subsidence and evaluate the risk. The study of the subsidence risk evaluation using the existing numerical analysis only applies the integrative property to the geological structure and ground condition, and analyzes the goaf peripheral plastic domain. Also, there is a realistic limit that only restricted materials can be apprehended in securing the input information, which leads to the low reliability of the numerical analysis result. In this study, 2-dimensional modeling was performed by applying the field geological structure and ground information targeting abandoned mine where the subsidence occurred. Also, the analysis model was revised by repeating the numerical analysis for the difference between the real subsidence ground information and the analysis result to be minimized by modifying the ground property. This revision was automated by applying the optimization technique and the gradational optimal design method dividing multiple ground properties was developed.

• 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.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.381-401
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• 2024

To predict the ground subsidence caused by mines, various evaluation methods were applied to cases of ground subsidence in Korea, and the results were compared and analyzed. Continuous subsidence, which is relatively easily and accurately predicted, was excluded in this analysis. The stress arch - volumetric expansion method, limit equilibrium method, numerical analysis, probabilistic method, and evaluation method of the Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corporation (KO MIR) were applied to 36 subsidence cases, including subsidence location, width, and depth, and goaf width, depth, and incline data. The stress arch - volumetric expansion method was the most accurate with an accuracy of ~92%. In the case of the KOMIR method, the regression model is 86.1% accurate, but somewhat lower in accuracy using a triangular pyramidal volume. The stress arch - volumetric expansion and KOMIR methods have the disadvantage of evaluating whether subsidence occurs or not. In the case of the numerical analysis, the accuracy is 72.3% when estimating the subsidence depth, but is slightly lower (55.8%) when estimating the subsidence width. The probabilistic and limit equilibrium methods have similar accuracies of 50.8~63.7%. Given it is possible to determine whether subsidence occurs, and the subsidence location, width, and depth with each method, it is recommended to apply various methods when evaluating sinkhole-type subsidence.