Title: Assessing mechanical characteristics of typical support system being used in thin seam coal mining of Pakistan

Authors: Muhammad Shahzad; Yasir Majeed; Muhammad Zaka Emad; Mahmood Arshad; Rangzeb Goraya; Muhammad Akram

Addresses: Department of Mining Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan ' Department of Mining Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan ' Department of Mining Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan ' Deceased formerly of: University of Engineering and Technology, Pakistan ' Department of Mining Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan; Punjab Management Services, Government of the Punjab, Pakistan ' Department of Mining Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract: In Pakistan, most of the coal mines located in the Salt Range utilise wood or timber as the main component of support system comprising of cribs, two-piece and three-piece sets. The commonly used variety of timber by the coal mining industry of Pakistan includes Acacia nilotica (Linn.), delile and eucalyptus. This research work is focused on the strength characteristics of bending and compression members of acacia wood being used as support components in underground coal mines. Easy to use equations for the prediction of flexural strength, uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of wood parallel and perpendicular to grain from density are also proposed. Efforts were made to enhance the bending strength of wooden beams of acacia which showed an increase of 23.45% through applying reinforcement. Moreover, full column crib strength was determined to evaluate its roof supporting capacity. Besides this an alternate compression member to acacia wood support has also been evaluated and introduced in the form of brick support.

Keywords: Eastern and Central Salt Range; coal mines; Acacia nilotica; wooden supports; flexural strength; UCS parallel to wood grain; UCS perpendicular to wood grain; density.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMME.2022.129768

International Journal of Mining and Mineral Engineering, 2022 Vol.13 No.4, pp.333 - 351

Accepted: 05 Feb 2023
Published online: 25 Mar 2023 *

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