Underground » Mining Technology and Production
Rock weathering is a progressive process that undermines the integrity of underground mine roadways, posing significant safety and operational risks in longwall coal mines where elevated temperature, high humidity, and variable groundwater chemistry prevail. Despite extensive research on individual weathering mechanisms, a systematic, multiscale understanding of time dependent rock degradation under realistic mining conditions has been lacking.
This project aims to characterise and quantify the evolution of rock mechanical properties under simulated underground mining environments, reveal the underlying mechanisms of weathering induced sedimentary rock degradation, and develop weathering predictive models for engineering applications. Specifically, the project objectives are to:
- Assess rock degradation in underground mining environments through constant humidity and immersion tests and reveal the corresponding weathering mechanisms;
- Develop a predictive model that integrates laboratory-derived rock degradation data with geophysical logging data; and to
- Propose a Rock Weathering Susceptibility Index to quantify the proneness of rocks to weathering, thereby providing a practical approach for site engineers to identify critical weathering-prone areas to achieve more proactive strata management.
The key findings from the project detailed in the report are:
- Weathering induced decay rate and mechanisms.
- Predictive modelling.
- Rock weathering susceptibility index (RWSI).
This study provides a comprehensive, multiscale framework for quantifying and predicting rock weathering in underground mining environments. The integration of laboratory and field data into user friendly predictive models and the RWSI equips site engineers with actionable tools to proactively identify areas with high weathering induced stability risks.