Advanced Technologies in Rock Mechanics and Mining Science

Dear Colleagues,

Economic growth is strongly dependent on the exploitation of mineral resources, and the depth of underground mining is increasing with the depletion of resources in the shallow surface. Currently, major mining countries around the world have began to conduct deep mining operations. Coal mining depths have reached 1501 m, geothermal mining depths have exceeded 3000 m, non-ferrous metal mining depths have passed 4350 m, and oil and natural gas resources mining depths have reached 7500 m. For domestic coal mining, coal resources mined at depths exceeding 1000 m account for 53% of the total proven reserves in China. There are over 47 deep mines with an average mining depth of 1086 m in China, and depths of exploitation are rising at the rate of 10–25 m per year. Engineering disasters have increased with increasing mining depth, and these disasters tend to be increasingly hazardous and critical, including severe deformations of roadway, intensive ground pressures at the working face, more rock bursts and coal bumps, violent instability in the working face, high accumulation of gas, and increased gas pressure, as well as the increased probability and seriousness of water inrush accidents.

This Special Issue, ‘Advanced Mathematical Theory and Computational Technologies in Rock Mechanics and Mining Science’, aims to showcase recent technologies that can be used to overcome the challenges faced by researchers working on deep rock mechanics, disaster prevention, and disaster control for deep mining. We welcome the submission of original, high-quality research works in this area. The topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Damage failure mechanisms of large deformations in deep mining engineering, and measures to control large deformations in deep excavation projects;
• Mechanisms, prediction, and prevention of rock burst, including combined disasters of coal, rock, and gas;
• Characterization of the theories, models, and methods of stress field, seepage field, and fracture field in deep mining;
• Advanced technologies and methods of deep coal mining;
• Control techniques in deep roadway surrounding rocks;
• Geothermal hazards and thermodynamic effects in deep rock masses, and countermeasures for controlling heat disasters;
• Strong disturbances in deep surrounding rocks and their countermeasures;
• Gas and coal containment measures for deep mining;
• Water hydrodynamics, prediction models, and methods for fracture depth and water inrush risk and prevention measures in deep mining;
• Spontaneous combustion and fire prevention in deep coal mining.

Contributions from academia and industry are equally encouraged. Please contact the Special Issue Editor if you are considering submitting an article.

Dr. Zhixiang Song
Prof. Dr. Junwen Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• rock burst
• coal and gas outburst
• combined disasters of coal, rock and gas
• disaster prediction
• water hydrodynamics
• water prevention
• control techniques
• deep mining
• deep rock mechanics
• control and prevention in deep surrounding rock
• stress filed
• seepage field
• fracture field
• geothermal hazard
• geothermal management
• spontaneous combustion
• mining science
• carbon sequestration
• filling mining
• roadway support
• new materials development
• fluidized mining
• intelligent mining