• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.153-167
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• 2022

This study proposes a method to analyze the distribution of coal porosity disturbances after the excavation of ultra-large-diameter water jet boreholes using a coal wetting and softening model. The high-pressure jet is regarded as a short-term high-pressure water injection process. The water injection range is the coal softening range. The time when the reference point of the borehole wall is shocked by the high-pressure water column is equivalent to the time of high-pressure water injection of the coal wall. The influence of roadway excavation with support and borehole diameter on the ultra-large-diameter jet drilling excavation is also studied. The coal core around the borehole is used to measure the gas permeability for determining the porosity disturbance distribution of the coal in the sampling plane to verify the correctness of the simulation results. Results show that the excavation borehole is beneficial to the expansion of the roadway excavation disturbance, and the expansion distance of the roadway excavation disturbance has a quadratic relationship with the borehole diameter. Wetting and softening of the coal around the borehole wall will promote the uniform distribution of the overall porosity disturbance and reduce the amplitude of disturbance fluctuations.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.613-624
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• 2022

A study of the evolution of overburden fractures under the solid-fluid coupling state was conducted based on the geological and mining characteristics of the coal seam depth, weak strata cementation, and high-intensity mining in the mining areas of West China. These mining characteristics are key to achieving water conservation during mining or establishing groundwater reservoirs in coal mines. Based on the engineering background of the Daliuta Coal Mine, a non-hydrophilic simulation material suitable for simulating the weakly cemented rock masses in this area was developed, and a physical simulation test was carried out using a water-sand gushing test system. The study explored the spatial distribution and dynamic evolution of the fractured zone in the mining overburden under the coupling of stress and seepage. The experimental results show that the mining overburden can be vertically divided into the overall migration zone, the fracture extension zone and the collapse zone; additionally, in the horizontal direction, the mining overburden can be divided into the primary fracture zone, periodic fracture zone, and stop-fracture zone. The scope of groundwater flow in the overburden gradually expands with the mining of coal seams. When a stable water inrush channel is formed, other areas no longer generate new channels, and the unstable water inrush channels gradually close. Finally, the primary fracture area becomes the main water inrush channel for coal mines. The numerical simulation results indicate that the overlying rock breaking above the middle of the mined-out area allows the formation of the water-conducting channel. The water body will flow into the fracture extension zone with the shortest path, resulting in the occurrence of water bursting accidents in the mining face. The experimental research results provide a theoretical basis for the implementation of water conservation mining or the establishment of groundwater reservoirs in western mining areas, and this theoretical basis has considerable application and promotion value.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.475-485
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• 2014

Seawater flow characteristics around a manganese nodule mining device in deep sea were analyzed through numerical investigation. The mining device influences the seawater flow field with complicated velocity distributions, and they are largely dependent on the seawater flow speed, device moving speed, and injection velocity from the collecting part. The flow velocity and turbulent kinetic energy distributions are compared at several positions from the device rear, side, and top, and it is possible to predict the distance from which the mining device affects the seawater flow field through the variation of turbulent kinetic energy. With the operation of the collecting device the turbulent kinetic energy remarkably increases, and it gradually decreases along the seawater flow direction. Turbulent kinetic energy behind the mining system increases with the seawater flow velocity. The transient behavior of nodule particles, which are not collected, is also predicted. This study will be helpful in creating an optimal design for a manganese nodule collecting device that can operate efficiently and which is eco-friendly.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.205-216
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of large scale marine sand mining on the marine ecological community. For the study, four stations along the coast were selected and monitored in 1998 and 2001 at mining areas and non-mining areas about the Gyeonggi Bay. The result revealed that in 1998, 9 species of fishes, 16 species of crustaceans, and 6 species of mollusks were collected where as in 2001, 11 species of fishes, 5 species of crustaceans, and 2 species of mollusks were collected, uncovering the fact that fishes have diversified while crustaceans and mollusks have reduced on a grand scale. Also, there were two key characteristics regarding the changes of biological communities in mining and nonmining areas. The first was the dwindling of crustaceans inhabiting the sand area. This outcome may be accounted for by the facts that physical removal of seabed sediments and re-sediment due to expansion of floating particles cause direct influence on the ocean floor ecosystem and have continuous effect on the communities of crustaceans which feed on them. Secondly, the newly arrived species and their population during spring and summer seasons have increased in the non-mining areas and have decreased in the mining area. It can be concluded that highly nomadic fish species migrate toward areas with less disturbance or destruction of ecosystem from marine sand mining, and consequently, the communities of fishes change in the sea area. Setting aside the characteristics of the investigated sea areas where the arriving conditions of species vary by seasons, the clear differences of population of organisms in those areas are due to environmental alterations owing to the marine sand mining ; if those large-scale marine sand mining activities continue in the Gyeonggi Bay, their effects on biological communities in the areas will only grow.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2020

This paper presents an investigation of the ground response of a gob-side gateroad suffering mining stress induced by a 21 m-thick coal seam extraction. A field observation, including entry convergence and stress changes monitoring, was first conducted in the tailgate 8209. The observation results of entry convergence showed that, during the adjacent panel 8210 retreating period, the deformation of the gob-side gateroad experienced a continuous increase stage, subsequently, an accelerating increase stage, and finally, a slow increase stage. However, strong ground response, including roof bending deflection, rib extrusion and floor heave, occurred during the current panel 8209 retreating period, and the maximum floor heave reached 1530 mm. The stress changes within coal mass of the two ribs demonstrated that the gateroad was always located in the stress concentrated area, which responsible for the strong response of the tailgate 8209. Subsequently, a hydraulic fracture technique was proposed to pre-fracture the two hard roofs above the tailgate 8209, thus decreasing the induced disturbance on the tailgate. The validity of the above roof treatment was verified via field application. The finding of this study could be a reference for understanding the stability control of the gob-side gateroad in extra thick coal seams mining.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.135-141
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• 2016

This study investigated changes of hydrology, soil characteristics, riparian vegetation communities, and geomorphology in sandbars before and after sand-mining to determine the effect of sand-mining at upstream of Guemgang and Bochungcheon streams in Korea. Sand-mining events affected the mining area. They supplied organic matters and nutrients during flood. Sediment deposition caused soil texture change and expansion of vegetation area. However, riverbeds were stabilized after the disturbance. According to the analyses of aerial photographs, the vegetation area was significantly expanded in both dam-regulated streams and dam-unregulated streams after sand-mining. Willow shrubs advanced in disturbed area at an average of 10 years after sand-mining. It took willows trees 10.6 years to become dominant communities. Therefore, it took a total of 20.6 years for new riparian forest to form in sandbar after sand-mining. Our results confirmed that stream flow condition were dependent on vegetation recruitment in dam-regulated streams and dam-unregulated streams. For willow recruitment in unregulated streams, calculation of water level below dimensionless bed shear stress is important because low water level variation is a limiting factor of vegetation recruitment.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.133-142
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• 2020

The evolution of the mining-induced fracture network formed during longwall top coal caving (LTCC) has a great influence on the gas drainage, roof control, top coal recovery ratio and engineering safety of aquifers. To reveal the evolution of the mining-induced stress and fracture network formed during LTCC, the fracture network in front of the working face was observed by borehole video experiments. A discrete element model was established by the universal discrete element code (UDEC) to explore the local stress distribution. The regression relationship between the fractal dimension of the fracture network and mining stress was established. The results revealed the following: (1) The mining disturbance had the most severe impact on the borehole depth range between approximately 10 m and 25 m. (2) The distribution of fractures was related to the lithology and its integrity. The coal seam was mainly microfractures, which formed a complex fracture network. The hard rock stratum was mainly included longitudinal cracks and separated fissures. (3) Through a numerical simulation, the stress distribution in front of the mining face and the development of the fracturing of the overlying rock were obtained. There was a quadratic relationship between the fractal dimension of the fractures and the mining stress. The results obtained herein will provide a reference for engineering projects under similar geological conditions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.98 no.5
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• pp.593-601
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• 2009

Forest disturbances including forest fire, insect pests and diseases, landslides, and forest conversion from 1976 to 2005 were investigated to trace the changes of major forest disturbance agents and their characteristics over time in accordance with changes in natural and social environment in South Korea. While the damaged area by insect pests and diseases continuously decreased for the past 30 years, damaged areas by forest fire and landslide were fluctuating through years. The interval of large forest fires has become shorter with increased tree volume. The precipitation between January and April were significantly correlated with large fire occurrences as Pearson's correlation coefficient -0.400 (P=0.029). The composition of major insect pests and diseases damaging Korean forests has been changed continuously, and become more diversified. While damages by pine caterpillar (Dendrolimus spectabilis) and pine needle gall midge (Thecodiplosis japonensis) decreased, damage by introduced pests has been more serious recently. The change of precipitation pattern that brought more localized heavy rain or powerful typhoon resulted in the recent increase in landslide areas. The major land uses to induce forest conversion have been changed, reflecting the changes in industrial structure in South Korea as agriculture and mining in 1970s, mining and golf ranges classified in pasture in 1980s, and road and housing construction in 1990s and 2000s. Changes in forest disturbance patterns in South Korea show that a country's industrial development is jointly working with global warming on forest stand dynamics. Altering energy structure and land use pattern induced by industrial development accumulates forest volume and reforms microenvironments on forest floor, interacting with climate change, inducing shorter interval of large forest fire and changes in major species composition of forest insect pests and diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.82-86
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• 2016

In this study, we investigated the spore diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in rhizospheres of a post-mining area and a natural forest area in Jecheon, Korea. The rhizospheres of the post-mining areas were dominated by Acaulospora mellea, while those of the natural forest area were dominated by Ambispora leptoticha. The number of AMF spores in rhizospheres of the post-mining area was significantly higher than that in the rhizospheres of the natural forest area. Although the diversity index of each area showed no significant difference, the community similarity of AMF within the rhizospheres of natural forest area was significantly higher than that observed within those of post-mining area. These results showed that AM fungal communities in rhizospheres could change because of the degree of disturbance.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.99-111
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• 2022

Instability of bolted rock mass has been a major hazard in the underground coal mining industry for decades. Developing effective support guidelines requires understanding of complex bolted rock mass failure mechanisms. In this study, the dynamic failure behavior, mechanical behavior, and energy evolution of a laboratory-scale bolted specimens is studied by conducting laboratory static-dynamic coupled loading tests. The results showed that: (1) Under static-dynamic coupled loading, the stress-strain curve of the bolted rock mass has a significant impact velocity (strain rate) correlation, and the stress-strain curve shows rebound characteristics after the peak; (2) There is a critical strain rate in a rock mass under static-dynamic coupled loading, and it decreases exponentially with increasing pre-static load level. Bolting can significantly improve the critical strain rate of a rock mass; (3) Compared with a no-bolt rock mass, the dissipation energy ratio of the bolted rock mass decreases exponentially with increasing pre-static load level, the ultimate dynamic impact energy and dissipation energy of the bolted rock mass increase significantly, and the increasing index of the ratio of dissipation energy increases linearly with the pre-static load; (4) Based on laboratory testing and on-site microseismic and stress monitoring, a design method is proposed for a roadway bolt support against dynamic load disturbance, which provides guidance for the design of deep underground roadway anchorage supports. The research results provide new ideas for explaining the failure behavior of anchorage supports and adopting reasonable design and construction practices.