Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ROCK MECHANICS AND MINING SCIENCES, cilt.42, sa.2, ss.219-235, 2005 (SCI-Expanded)
There is a considerable amount of lignite reserve in the form of thick seams in Turkey. It is rather complicated to predict the characteristics of strata response to mining operation in thick seams. However, a comprehensive evaluation of ground behavior is a prerequisite for maintaining efficient production, especially when the top-coal-caving method behind the face is applied. Top-coal caving is the key factor affecting the efficiency of production at thick-coal seams. During production of top coal by caving behind the face not only a significant amount of coal is lost in the goaf but the coal drawn by means of caving is diluted considerably with surrounding rock. Therefore, it is not possible to carry out an efficient production operation unless caving of top coal behind the face is optimized. In this paper, results of 3D modeling of the top-coal-caving mechanism by using the finite difference code FLAC(3D) at the M3 longwall panel of the Omerler Underground Mine located at Tuncbilek (Turkey) are presented. According to the modeling results, maximum vertical abutment stresses were formed at a distance of 7m in front of the face. An analysis of the conditions of top coal has revealed that a 1.5 m thick layer of coal just above the shield supports is well fractured. However, a 3.5 m thick layer of coal above the fractured part is either not fractured or is fractured in the form of large blocks leading to obstruction of windows of shields during coal drawing. It is concluded that, in order to decrease dilution and increase extraction ratio and efficiency of operation, top coal should be as uniformly fractured as possible. Hence, an efficient and continuous coal flowing behind the face can be maintained. A special pre-fracture blasting strategy just sufficient enough to form cracks in the top coal is suggested by means of comparing with the results of numerical modeling. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.