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A Numerical Modeling Approach for Assessment of Seepage Characteristics and Performance of Protective Water Barrier Pillars in Underground Coal Mines

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Abstract 

Providing a suitable protective water barrier pillar (PWBP) is common to reduce inundation hazards in underground coal mines. The imperative factors influencing its performance include the water head acting on the pillar, cover depth, pillar width, strength properties, and permeability characteristics. The mechanical failure of such pillar is a stress-controlled phenomenon, whereas the hydraulic failure is a strain-based phenomenon. A finite-difference numerical modeling approach was developed to study the hydro-mechanical coupled behavior of protective water barrier pillars. The mechanical stability was evaluated in terms of the percentage of failed (ZoF) and intact zones. The influence of the strain-controlled weakening on the permeability of the flow medium was studied through the coupling of the mechanical and hydraulic effects. The coupled steady-state model was used to estimate the outflow rate and its hydraulic stability. The adequacy of the protective pillar was also investigated by assessing mechanical stability and capability to resist hydraulic pressure against the maximum expected water head. A seepage rate-based classification system has also been proposed to evaluate the seepage potential and assess the hydraulic stability. The model has been validated for two case studies at the cover depth of 136–189.5 m and the existing pillar width of 16–42 m against the water head of 25–141 m.

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Acknowledgements

The authors of this paper are grateful for the library service rendered by the Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi, for this work. The authors express their gratitude to all the mines for their assistance.

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  1. Department of Mining Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, India, 221005

    Ankush Galav, G. S. P. Singh & S. K. Sharma

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  1. Ankush Galav
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  2. G. S. P. Singh
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  3. S. K. Sharma
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Contributions

Conceptualization, methodology, software, data curation, writing—original draft preparation, visualization, investigation, validation: AG. Reviewing and editing: SKS. Supervision: GSPS.

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Correspondence to G. S. P. Singh.

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Galav, A., Singh, G.S.P. & Sharma, S.K. A Numerical Modeling Approach for Assessment of Seepage Characteristics and Performance of Protective Water Barrier Pillars in Underground Coal Mines. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 39, 2047–2063 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-022-00672-3

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