Search Results (36)

Seismic-while-tunneling signals acquired during coal-mine excavation are typically characterized by strong nonstationarity, intense mechanical noise, weak reflection responses, unstable inter-trace phases, and complex waveform fluctuations. These characteristics make conventional energy- or amplitude-based picking methods susceptible to false triggers and missed detections. To reveal the local complexity mutation of mine seismic signals under strong-noise backgrounds, this study proposes a multiscale fractal-dimension-constrained coherent phase processing method for signal enhancement, first-arrival picking, and fault prediction. First, the raw seismic-while-tunneling records are reorganized into shot gathers, windowed, and downsampled to preserve the effective early-arrival information. A damped multichannel singular spectrum analysis method is then used to extract coherent low-rank components and suppress incoherent random noise. Second, short-window and long-window box-counting fractal dimensions are calculated to characterize local and background waveform complexity, and a fractal-dimension mutation index is constructed to identify abrupt complexity transitions associated with effective seismic arrivals. On this basis, the fractal mutation index is incorporated into a coherent phase picking function that combines multichannel phase consistency and stacked amplitude, forming a fractal-dimension-constrained CCPP detection criterion. This criterion enhances true coherent arrivals while suppressing isolated noise spikes and unstable local amplitude disturbances. Finally, phase-weighted stacking is applied to further strengthen phase-consistent reflection responses and improve the interpretability of seismic-while-tunneling imaging profiles. Field application at the WII02040503 working face of Tunbao Coal Mine demonstrates that the proposed method can effectively improve the continuity of coherent events, stabilize automatic picking results, and enhance anomalous reflection bands under complex underground noise conditions. During the engineering trial, a total of 2558 m of ahead prospecting was completed, and 29 faults were predicted. The field-confirmation rates of the predicted faults with throws greater than 3 m, between 1 and 3 m, and less than 1 m were 100%, 87.50%, and 81.25%, respectively. Overall, 25 of the 29 predicted faults were confirmed by field exposure, corresponding to an overall field-confirmation rate of 86.21%. After velocity-synchronization time-difference correction, the average planar positioning deviation of the confirmed fault predictions decreased from 7.86 m to 5.08 m, corresponding to a 35.37% reduction in positioning error. These results indicate that the proposed fractal-dimension-constrained coherent processing framework provides an effective approach for complexity-aware signal enhancement and robust fault prediction in seismic-while-tunneling monitoring. Full article

In response to the need to monitor groundwater migration and structural damage to rock strata during tunnel excavation and coal mining, this paper presents a novel electromagnetic detection system that features continuous ground-based transmission and full-waveform underground observation. As the transmitted waveform is crucial for determining the distribution of induced eddy currents and the characteristics of the secondary field response, studying these response characteristics is essential for the system’s practical application. This study selects four typical transmission waveforms—step, triangular, half-sine and trapezoidal—and uses a tetrahedral, three-dimensional grid discretization method to analyze the transient electromagnetic full-wave response patterns of electrical and magnetic sources under different waveform excitations. This elucidates the propagation characteristics of electromagnetic fields in the medium. The research reveals that the waveform type during energization significantly influences the electromagnetic response, with the full-wave response characteristics of electrical and magnetic sources differing significantly in the near-source region and response trends converging in the far-source region. In practical detection, combining the advantages of the three-component responses of the electrical and magnetic sources can effectively improve detection accuracy. The findings of this study provide important theoretical support for optimizing the design of transient electromagnetic detection systems and precisely interpreting detection data. They also lay a theoretical foundation for electromagnetic detection applications in fields such as mineral resource exploration and engineering geological surveys. Full article

Large deformations in deep soft rock roadways primarily stem from low rock strength under high in situ stress and intense mining disturbance. This renders stability control a critical challenge in tunneling support engineering. Utilizing Xinhe Coal Mine’s deep soft rock tunnel as a representative case, this study integrates field monitoring, laboratory experimentation, and numerical simulation to investigate how excavation and grouted rock bolting influence surrounding rock stability. Building upon field-observed deformation mechanisms and support failure patterns, constitutive models for FLAC^3D’s embedded cable and beam elements were modified to achieve high-fidelity simulation of grouted support systems. Numerical models simulating diverse support schemes were established to analyze roadway displacement fields, plastic failure development, and structural behavior of support components, ultimately identifying the optimal rehabilitation solution. The research results indicate that the numerical simulation outcomes of the original support scheme exhibit good agreement with field observations in terms of roadway deformation patterns, deformation magnitudes, and occurrences of bolt/cable fractures. This demonstrates that the adopted refined numerical simulation methodology and parameters are reasonable and exhibit high reliability. Considering both surrounding rock stability and cost control, Roadway Rehabilitation Scheme S1 was identified as the optimal support solution. Its specific parameters are pre-grouting + full-section rock bolts (diameter 22 mm, length 2.4 m, spacing 0.8 m, row spacing 1.6 m) + full-section grouted cables (diameter 22 mm, length 6.2 m, spacing 1.0 m, row spacing 1.6 m). Full article

The drainage of groundwater in mountainous tunnel projects always leads to substantial decline of the regional water table, which may induce numerous environmental issues, such as spring depletion, surface subsidence, vegetation degradation, and impacts on local water supplies, especially in the enclosed karst aquifers of anticlines in the area, such as the Jura mountain type. A systematic hydrological monitoring was conducted during the excavation of the Wufu Tunnel in Chongqing, China. The monitoring data includes discharge rate and water level collected from tunnels, boreholes, coal mines, springs, and ponds, respectively. Hydrological responses of karst aquifers and surface water bodies to tunnel drainage and precipitation were investigated by statistical analysis, Mann–Kendall test, heat map, and wavelet analysis. Results show that the enclosed karst water system has strong hydraulic connections and good water storage conditions. Tunnel drainage is the dominant factor causing dynamic changes at monitoring points, while the influence of rainfall is relatively limited. Borehole water levels and coal mine drainage have a close correlation with tunnel inflow, while springs are influenced by both rainfall and tunnel drainage. Few pond monitoring points are related to rainfall. Tunnel drainage has transformed the regional groundwater dynamic conditions, causing local groundwater flow direction reversal and reconstructing the groundwater recharge-flow-discharge pattern. Full article

Accurate assessment of aerodynamic resistance in mine ventilation networks is essential for ensuring operational safety and energy efficiency, yet traditional measurement approaches remain time-consuming and prone to uncertainty. This study presents a novel methodology for constructing digital ventilation models of underground mine workings using markerless LiDAR scanning combined with automated data processing. The proposed procedure includes segmentation of point clouds into sections, calculation of geometric parameters, and direct determination of resistance coefficients, which are subsequently exported to VentSim software. The approach was validated through a case study conducted in a Polish coal mine, where a 369 m ventilation siding was scanned and analyzed. The comparison between numerical simulations and in situ measurements demonstrated strong agreement, with differences not exceeding ±5% for airflow velocity, pressure drop, and total flow rate, while larger deviations were observed for cross-sectional area (+5.1%). The method is limited by potential inaccuracies in determining excavation geometry, which can lead to errors in calculating resistance coefficients, particularly at excavation intersections and at the beginning and end of scanning sections. Point cloud analysis, determination of resistance coefficients for individual sections (segments), spatial transformation, and point cloud reduction, along with integration with VentSim, are based on Python scripts. Calculation results can be easily exported to other computational programs. The proposed approach enables integration with various sensors and allows for assigning this value directly to a given section (segment of the excavation). The method can support the construction of digital twins for mines or underground tunnels. The implementation codes of the developed algorithms have also been made available for educational and scientific purposes under the Modified GNU General Public License v3 (GPLv3). Full article

The implementation and application of a safety factor (SF)-based numerical framework in FLAC3D-IMASS (Itasca Model for Advanced Strain Softening) is presented for the evaluation of the short-term stability of unsupported underground excavations in sedimentary rock masses during pillar recovery in bord-and-pillar mining. The stability of underground openings during the initial hours post-excavation must be ensured, as they are not accessed thereafter; therefore, short-term stability assessment is essential. The framework was specifically calibrated to field observations and applied to a case study from an Australian bord-and-pillar mine, focusing on plunge and bellout configurations commonly used during the pillar extraction stage to enhance ore recovery. The modelling approach was integrated with rock mass degradation behavior under static loading conditions and was used to calculate three-dimensional distributions of SF to identify potential failure zones. The results demonstrate that the coal (CO) roof scenario generally maintains structural stability, while the impure coal (Cox) roof scenario is observed to exhibit significant instability, particularly at greater excavation advancement. Among the tested bellout geometries, 8.0 m spans were observed to provide improved performance due to shorter tunnel lengths that enhance confinement and reduce the volume of disturbed rock. Overall, the proposed SF framework effectively captures localized failure mechanisms and is demonstrated as a practical design tool for assessing the short-term stability of unsupported structures during critical stages of underground mining operations. Full article

Coal mining can cause the rupture of the overlying strata, and the energy released by large-scale fractures can therefore induce earthquake disasters, which in turn can cause more secondary disasters. In the past 50 years, countless earthquakes induced by coal mining have been reported. In this paper, the main factors relating to the mining-induced seismicity, including the mechanical properties, geometry of the space, excavation advance, and excavation rate, are investigated using both experimental and numerical methods. The sensitivity of these factors behaves differently with regard to the stress distribution and failure mode. Space geometry and excavation advances have the highest impact on the surface settlement and the failure, while the excavation rate in practical engineering projects has the least impact on the failure mode. The numerical study coincides well with the experimental observation. The result indicates that the mechanical properties given by the geological survey report can be effectively used to assess the risk of mining-induced seismicity, and the proper adjustment of the tunnel geometry can largely reduce the surface settlement and improve the safety of mining. Full article

Facing the support challenges of short-wall working face (15–40m) roadways in the ‘excavation–backfill–retention’ tunneling method for section coal pillars, traditional equipment struggled to achieve stable, reliable, and efficient support. This paper designed a temporary support robot for the excavation and mining system of section coal pillars to ensure the safety of equipment and personnel in short-wall working faces. The support requirements of the section coal pillar excavation and mining system were analyzed, and a general ‘driving under pressure’ temporary support scheme was proposed. The working principle of the temporary support robot was analyzed. A mechanical model for the stable support of the temporary support robot was established. The mechanical properties of the surrounding rock were analyzed, and the allowable range of the temporary support robot’s supporting force was determined while ensuring the stability of the surrounding rock. Based on the Stribeck friction theory, a dynamic model of the temporary support robot in the driving under pressure state was constructed. The boundary conditions of the dynamic model were set, and the corresponding relationship between the temporary support robot’s supporting force and its maximum static friction force was determined. This accurately described the influence of the supporting force and pushing (pulling) force on the movement during the process of driving under pressure. Through finite element simulation, the stress conditions of the temporary support robot and the floor under maximum load were analyzed, indicating that this load condition would not cause damage to the temporary support robot or the surrounding rock. Through multi-body dynamics simulation, the pushing (pulling) forces required for the temporary support robot’s movement under different supporting force conditions were obtained, verifying the feasibility of the driving under pressure action under different supporting force conditions. Moreover, the model-predicted and simulated values of the required pushing (pulling) forces during the process of driving under pressure were consistent, validating the accuracy of the driving under pressure dynamic model. This research provides a new theoretical framework for the design and dynamic analysis of temporary support equipment for short-wall working faces in section coal pillar mining, holding significant academic value and broad application prospects. Full article

To meet the mining requirements of the ’excavation–backfill–retention’ tunneling method for inter-panel coal pillars, this paper proposes an integrated ‘excavation–backfill–retention’ equipment system centered on a cutting robot. An interactive design method was employed to analyze the interaction between mining conditions and the cutting robot, constructing a ’requirements–functions–structure’ model. The robot integrates a horizontal drum cutting mechanism with a slider shoe walking mechanism, offering enhanced adaptability to various mining conditions. A parameter model was constructed to explore the relationship between the cutting arm length and the robot’s structural parameters under varying mining heights. Using a hierarchical solution method that combines local search and multi−objective genetic algorithms, the robot’s fundamental parameters were determined, enabling the development of a detailed 3D model. A kinematic model based on the modified D–H method was developed to analyze the cutting arm’s swing angle, cylinder extension, propulsion velocity, and cutting velocity in practical mining scenarios. The working range of the height adjustment and feed cylinders at different mining heights was determined through simulation. A dynamics model of the cutting drum was developed, and a coupled simulation using the discrete element method (DEM) was conducted to analyze the relationship between coal/rock hardness, drum load, and cutting depth. The simulation results indicate that as the cutting depth raises the number of cutting teeth in contact with surrounding rock, the cutting depth grows, resulting in a larger reaction force from the coal seam and greater fluctuations in drum load torque. Once the maximum cutting depth is reached, load torque stabilizes within a specific range. Considering cutting efficiency, the robot achieves a maximum cutting velocity of 1 m/min with a cutting depth of 250 mm for rock strength greater than f3. For rock strength f3, the maximum cutting velocity is 1 m/min with a 400 mm depth, and for f2, it is 2 m/min with a 400 mm depth. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for the development of adaptive cutting strategies in mining operations, contributing to improved performance and efficiency in complex mining conditions. Full article

The influence of coal and gas outbursts from a coal seam adjacent to the working face is crucial for determining its automatic gas discharge width, which is an important basis for the roadway position design of the adjacent working face. This study focuses on determining the automatic gas discharge width of the coal body in the neighboring goaf, especially examining the working face of the E₁₀-32040 air mining area and the E₁₀-32060 wind tunnel of the No. 1 Mine operated by Pingmei Company. Theoretical analysis, strain-softening simulation, and field testing were adopted to study the automatic gas discharge width under the current mining conditions, and the results are as follows: (1) Back mining at the working face has a greater impact on the coal body of the neighboring goaf than roadway excavation, and the compression deformation at 50 m from the goaf after back mining is 6.18 times that during roadway excavation. (2) The gas content of the coal body of the neighboring goaf is linearly distributed, and the coefficient of determination (R²) is 0.98024. (3) The extent of compression and deformation of the neighboring coal body follows an exponential distribution, and the coefficient of determination (R²) is 0.99482. (4) Under the current mining conditions, the risk of protrusion can be considered eliminated when the residual gas content is below 4.45 m³/t. The compression deformation is 0.96‰ when the automatic gas discharge width is 30.11 m. The research results can provide theoretical reference and data support for adjacent roadway location design and the selection of gas prevention and control measures in coal seams. Full article

The imbalance between excavation and mining is significant as it restricts the efficient development of coal resources. Slow tunneling speed is primarily due to the inability to concurrently conduct excavation and permanent support operations, and temporary support is considered a key solution to this problem. However, the mechanism by which temporary support affects the surrounding rock in unsupported are as remains unclear, hindering the assurance of stability in these areas and the determination of a reasonable unsupported span. To address this issue, this work proposed a stress distribution model as temporary support, elucidating the distribution law of support forces within the surrounding rock. By analyzing the stress differences between areas with and without temporary support, the stress field distribution characteristics of temporary support were determined. Subsequently, the evolution of stress and strain in the surrounding rock within unsupported areas was analyzed concerning changes in temporary support length, support force, and unsupported distance. The results indicated that, although temporary support does not directly act on unsupported areas, it still generates a supportive stress field within them. The maximum unsupported distance should not exceed 3 m, and there is a strong linear relationship between the optimal temporary support force and the unsupported span. Furthermore, the length of temporary support should not exceed 17 m from the tunnel face. The successful application of the shield tunneling robot system verifies that temporary support can ensure the stability of the surrounding rock in unsupported areas, confirming the validity of the temporary support stress distribution model. This research can be used to design and optimize cutting parameters and temporary support parameters, arrange equipment, and design and optimize tunnel excavation processes to achieve safe and efficient tunneling. Full article

The excavation tunnel model is an important reference for mine equipment control and tunnel deformation monitoring. Currently, tunnel models are mainly created manually, and point cloud reconstruction algorithms are difficult to directly apply to tunnel point clouds. To address these issues, this paper proposes a point cloud-based excavation tunnel modeling method. First, preprocessing algorithms such as point cloud coordinate transformation, tunnel point cloud extraction, and tunnel point cloud completion are used to filter out equipment point clouds inside the tunnel and repair occluded holes. Then, the tunnel centerline is extracted, and consistency optimization is performed on the point cloud normal vectors. Finally, a tunnel model is established based on the Poisson modeling algorithm, enabling high-precision tunnel modeling. The proposed algorithm’s accuracy and effectiveness are demonstrated through experiments on four different coal mine tunnels. Full article

In view of the current situation where research on the dust diffusion laws of different dust source points is limited and the gap with the actual field situation is too large; this study employs an innovative gas–liquid–solid triphase coupling method to investigate how dust moves and spreads in the fully mechanized excavation face 431305 at the Liangshuijing Mine; focusing on both the dust field and the dust–fog coupled field. The results indicate that using the long-pressure short-suction ventilation method; dust movement in the roadway is primarily influenced by the airflow; which can be classified into vortex; jet; and return flow regions. The analysis reveals that different dust source points affect dust distribution patterns. Dust source 1 generates the highest dust concentration; primarily accumulating on the duct side and return air side of the roadway. By contrast; dust source 2’s dust mainly gathers at the heading and the front of the cutting head. Dust sources 3 and 4 show lower dust concentrations near the top of the roadway. Dust source 5 achieves the most effective dust removal; aided by airflow and a suction fan; showcasing superior dust performance. A comprehensive comparison indicates that dust source 1 has the highest overall dust concentration. Therefore; further simulation of the distribution law of dust generated at dust source 1 under the action of water mist reveals that the dust concentration near the heading face is reduced from 2000 mg/m³ under the action of single air flow to about 1100 mg/m³. At t = 5 s; the spray droplets almost cover the entire tunneling face; leading to a significant decrease in dust concentration within 10–25 m from the tunneling face. Within 40 s; both coal dust and spray droplets are significantly reduced. The field measurement results verify the accuracy of the simulation results and provide certain guidance for promoting the sustainable development of the coal industry. Full article

To investigate the influence of varied mechanical parameters of coal mass on rock burst occurrence during deep roadway tunneling, the surrounding coal and rock mass of a deep roadway were taken as the research objects. A geometric model of roadway tunneling was developed using 3DEC numerical simulation software, and the failure characteristics of the coal mass in the roadway side were analyzed based on the rock burst mechanism and stress difference gradient theory for deep mining. The risk of rock burst during roadway tunneling was quantitatively assessed using the change rate of the stress difference gradient (D_gc), thereby elucidating the burst failure patterns of the deep roadway under the influence of varied mechanical parameters. The findings indicate that the coal mass in the roadway side zone is more prone to burst failure due to stress disturbances during deep excavation compared to the coal and rock mass in the roof and floor zones, and that the released kinetic energy and the risk of burst failure are positively correlated with the magnitude of the ground stress. The variation of the mechanical properties of coal mass has a significant effect on the rock burst risk during roadway tunneling. The variation of both internal friction angle and cohesion significantly affects rock burst, with cohesion exerting a greater influence. Conversely, the elastic modulus does not significantly impact the risk. The tendency of bursting in the coal mass is positively correlated with the coefficient of variation (COV) in cohesion and negatively correlated with the COV in internal friction angle. These research findings offer valuable insights for the quantitative assessment of rock burst risk during roadway tunneling. Full article

The No. 3 coal seam in the Yuxi Coal Mine has a measured maximum gas content of 25.59 m³/t, along with a maximum gas pressure of 2.9 MPa, indicating its high risk to gas and outbursts. To mitigate outburst risks of the coal seam, the 1301 working face has been implemented with gas pre-drainage measures by grid boreholes from underlying roadways. After one year of extraction, it was confirmed that the gas content at all 33 test sites was below 8 m³/t, meeting the outburst prevention standards. However, during subsequent coal tunnel excavation, the gas desorption index K₁ value frequently exceeded the standard, resulting in numerous occurrences of abnormal gas emission or small-scale outbursts. To tackle the challenges associated with safe excavation following the first-round regional outburst prevention measures, a research and industrial trial of CO₂ gas fracturing (CO₂-Frac) technology for secondary outburst prevention and rapid excavation was completed. The results show that the dual-hole and high-pressure (185 MPa) CO₂-Frac considerably contributes to outburst prevention. K₁ exceedances per hundred meters of tunnel excavations were from an average of 2.54 without CO₂-Frac to an average of 0.28 after the new technology was implemented, leading to an eight-fold reduction. Additionally, the monthly excavation footage increased from an average of 81.64 m without CO₂-Frac to an average of 162.42 m with CO₂-Frac, resulting in a two-fold improvement. The dual-hole and high-pressure CO₂-Frac is an advanced technology for safe and efficient excavation for secondary outburst elimination in highly outburst-prone coal seams in the Yuxi Coal Mine, with potential for widespread application in similar coal seam conditions. Full article