Surface subsidence prognosis above an underground longwall excavation and based on 3D point cloud analysis

Pal, Andrej (author), Rošer, Janez (author), Vulić, Milivoj (author)

Impacts of underground mining have been reduced by continuous environmental endeavors, scientific, and engineering research activities, whose main object is the behavior and control of the undermined rock mass and the subsequent surface subsidence. In the presented Velenje case of underground sublevel longwall mining where coal is being exploited both horizontal and vertical, backfilling processes and accompanying fracturing in the coal layer, and rock mass are causing uncontrolled subsidence of the surface above. 3D point clouds of the study were acquired in ten epochs and at excavation heights on the front were measured at the same epochs. By establishing a sectors layout in the observational area, smaller point clouds were obtained, to which planes were fitted and centroids of these planes then calculated. Centroid heights were analyzed with the FNSE model to estimate the time of consolidation and modified according to excavation parameters to determine total subsidence after a certain period. Proposed prognosis approaches for estimating consolidation of active subsidence and long term surface environmental protection measures have been proposed and presented. The C2C analysis of distances between acquired 3D point clouds was used for identification of surface subsidence, reclamation areas and sink holes, and for validation of feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed prognosis.

• Language: English
• Keywords: longwall coal mining, surface subsidence, 3D point clouds, FNSE model, consolidation prognosis, total subsidence, C2C distances analysis
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: NTF - Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2020
• Number of pages: 20 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 10, iss. 1, art. 82
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-128698
• UDC: 622
• ISSN on article: 2075-163X
• DOI: 10.3390/min10010082
• COBISS.SI-ID: 1850463
• Publication date in RUL: 23.07.2021

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Minerals
• Shortened title: Minerals
• Publisher: MDPI AG
• ISSN: 2075-163X
• COBISS.SI-ID: 519985177

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 20.01.2020

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Funding programme: Young researchers
• Project number: 1000-15-0510

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P2-0268
• Name: Geotehnologija