Assessing Longwall Gateroad Ground Response and Support Alternatives.

Ground falls in longwall gateroad entries remain a concern in modern longwall operations. The gateroads are subject to changing horizontal and vertical ground stress induced by longwall extraction. These stress changes can result in failure of the strata around an entry leading to large deformations of the entry roof, floor, and ribs.

Assessing support alternatives for longwall gateroads subject to changing stress.

Longwall gateroad entries are subject to changing horizontal and vertical stress induced by redistribution of loads around the extracted panel. The stress changes can result in significant deformation of the entries that may include roof sag, rib dilation, and floor heave. Mine operators install different types of supports to control the ground response and maintain safe access and ventilation of the longwall face.

Influence of longwall mining on the stability of gas wells in chain pillars.

Longwall mining has a significant influence on gas wells located within longwall chain pillars. Subsurface subsidence and abutment pressure induced by longwall mining can cause excessive stresses and deformations in gas well casings. If the gas well casings are compromised or ruptured, natural gas could migrate into the mine workings, potentially causing a fire or explosion.

Evaluation of fiber optic methane sensor using a smoke chamber.

This report presents the results of experiments to evaluate a prototype fiber optic methane monitor exposed to smoke using a smoke chamber to simulate atmospheric conditions in an underground coal mine after a fire or explosion. The experiments were conducted using test fires of different combustible sources commonly found in mines -douglas-fir wood, SBR belt, and Pittsburgh seam coal. The experiments were designed to assess the response of the fiber optic methane sensor to different contaminants, different contaminant levels and different contaminant durations produced from the test fires.

Methane emissions and airflow patterns along longwall faces and through bleeder ventilation systems.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted an investigation of longwall face and bleeder ventilation systems using tracer gas experiments and computer network ventilation. The condition of gateroad entries, along with the caved material's permeability and porosity changes as the longwall face advances, determine the resistance of the airflow pathways within the longwall's worked-out area of the bleeder system. A series of field evaluations were conducted on a four-panel longwall district.