Underground » Coal Burst
The success of mining operations is heavily dependent upon controlling the fractured ground especially in coal mines where complex sedimentary strata exist. In nature, mechanisms of rock fracture are a dynamic phenomenon that up to now has not been fully understood nor computationally modelled in the correct way. Based on the new fundamental study of dynamic fracture propagation in rock developed at the University of Wollongong, this research aims to introduce a new understanding of numerical simulations of ground failure mechanisms. The dynamic model of rapidly developing fractures also enables numerical predictions of the rock or coal bursts as they occur in real time. These predictions are highly beneficial during coal mine planning stages where identification of possible dynamic occurrences could minimise potential hazards associated with anticipated ground reinforcement designs.
Key objectives addressed in this project included an adoption of the currently developed Dynamic Rock Fracture Model in FLAC2D and its extension into FLAC3D; verification of the model through an undertaking of several simulation runs and comparison against known dynamic rock failure phenomena from conducted laboratory tests; implementation of model to dynamically simulate the ground failure around mine roadways with different strata and stress conditions focusing on explaining coal burst mechanisms; and investigating the influence of existing fault locations and inclinations on coal ejection from the rib side of the mine roadway.