Title: Long-term time-dependent consolidation analysis by numerical modelling to determine subsidence effect area induced by longwall top coal caving method

Authors: Cemalettin Okay Aksoy; Kerim Kucuk; Guzin Gulsev Uyar

Addresses: Department of Mining Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Dokuz Eylul University, ?zmir, Turkey ' Department of Mining Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Dokuz Eylul University, ?zmir, Turkey ' Department of Mining Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

Abstract: Longwall top coal caving (LTCC) is one of the mining methods used in thick coal seams. Large subsidence occurs over the coal mines, where this method is utilised for production. The area affected by subsidence differs due to varying limit angles of the geological formations in the overburden. However, subsidence does not occur instantly, it is a phenomenon which progresses in time. It is especially important to perform time-dependent analyses of mines in the neighbourhood of residential areas, agricultural zones, or any kind of man-made structures. In this study, the long-term development of a subsidence due to production in an underground coal mine in Manisa-Soma-Eynez was examined using time-dependent numerical modelling technique. 750 days after the end of production, the effects of subsidence were examined in place, measurements were taken from the field and they were compared with the results of the time dependent numerical modelling analyses. [Received: November 15, 2014; Accepted: October 6, 2015]

Keywords: longwall top coal caving; LTCC; time-dependent numerical modelling; mine subsidence; thick coal seams; consolidation analysis; coal mining; underground coal mines; Turkey.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOGCT.2016.075855

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 2016 Vol.12 No.1, pp.18 - 37

Received: 02 Dec 2014
Accepted: 06 Oct 2015

Published online: 09 Apr 2016 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article