Prediction of Surface Subsidence Due to Inclined Very Shallow Coal Seam Mining Using FDM

Authors

K. Shahriar, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran
S. Amoushahi, Azhhand Tunnel Company, Tehran
M. Arabzadeh, Tehran University

Document Type

Conference Paper

Publication Date

2009

Publication Details

This conference paper was originally published as Shahriar, K, Amoushahi, S & Arabzadeh, M, Prediction of Surface Subsidence Due to Inclined Very Shallow Coal Seam Mining Using FDM, in Aziz, N (ed), Coal 2009: Coal Operators' Conference, University of Wollongong & the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, 2009, 130-139.

Abstract

Surface subsidence as an inevitable consequence of underground mining can cause problems for the environment and surface structures. Subsidence due to mining two shallow panels from an inclined coal seam C₁ of the Parvadeh (Tabas) coalfield, located in the eastern part of Iran, was predicted by finite difference method (FDM) using FLAC^3D software. The predicted subsidence profiles were compared favourably with both the measured values as well as the profile functions method. Using the parametric analysis, the position of maximum subsidence area was predicted over the panel rise side, which was completely in contrast with deep coal seam mining. The range of critical width to depth ratio (W/H) for both panels was determined between 1.0 and 1.4.