Abstract
Among all United States underground coal fields, those in Illinois have the highest rate of roof fall events due to their weak and severely moisture sensitive roof rock units. Rockmass characterization is the key initial step in designing safe and economical roof control measures in underground coal mines. In this study, a performance-based roof rockmass characterization is investigated. The geologic conditions as well as underground mine geographic specifications, roof fall analysis, mining method, utilized supplemental roof control measures, and geotechnical properties of roof rock units were considered to link the roof performance to rockmass characterization. The coal mine roof rating (CMRR) rockmass characterization method was used to evaluate the roof conditions and roof support design for an underground coal mine located in the Illinois Coal Basin. The results of several mine visit mappings, laboratory test results, and geotechnical issues and concerns are presented and discussed. The roof support designs are analyzed based on the rockmass characterization and are compared with the observed performance. This study shows that (1) CMRR index is a reasonable method for characterizing roof rockmass; (2) moisture sensitivity and bedding strengths in the horizontal direction are essential parameters for roof support design in mines with weak roof conditions; and (3) the applicability of the analysis of roof bolt system for roof support design of the studied mine is questionable.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
ASTM D3967-08 (2008) Standard test method for splitting tensile strength of intact rock core specimens, annual book of ASTM standards, 4.08, Philadelphia
ASTM D5731-08 (2008) Standard test method for determination of the point load strength index of rock and application to rock strength classifications, annual book of ASTM standards, 4.08, Philadelphia
ASTM D7012-10 (2010) Standard test method for compressive strength and elastic moduli of intact rock core specimens under varying states of stress and temperatures, annual book of ASTM standards, 4.08, Philadelphia
ASTM D1280-14 (2014) Standard guide for total immersion corrosion test for soak tank metal cleaners. ASTM International, West Conshohocken
ASTM D4644–08 (2008) Standard test method for slake durability of shales and similar weak rocks. ASTM International, West Conshohocken
Barton N, Lien R, Lunde J (1974) Engineering classification of rock masses for the design of tunnel support. Rock Mech 6(4):189–236
Bieniawski ZT (1974) Estimating the strength of rock materials. J S Afr Inst Min Metall 74(8):312–320
Bieniawski ZT (1976) Rock mass classification in rock engineering. In: Bieniawski ZT (ed) Exploration for rock engineering proceedings of the symposium, vol 1. Balkema, Cape Town, pp 97–106
Bieniawski ZT (1989) Engineering rock mass classifications. Wiley, New York
Calleja JD (2006) Rapid rating—using coal mine roof rating to provide rapid mine roof characterization from exploration drilling. 7th underground coal operators conference, Coal 2006 AUSIMM, Wollongong
CMRR Manual (2010) Coal mine roof rating (CMRR) Version 2.0
Colwell M, Frith R, Hill D (2003) ALTS II: a longwall gateroad design methodology for Australian collieries. First Australasian ground control in mining conference, pp 123–135
Deb D (2003) Analysis of coal mine roof rating using fuzzy reasoning techniques. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 40:251–257
Deere DU, Miller RP (1966) Engineering classification and index properties for intact rock. Technical report No AFWL-TR-65-116, Air Force Weapons Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico
DeMarco MJ (1994) Yielding pillar gate road design considerations for longwall mining. US bureau of mines technology transfer seminar, pp 19–36
Hill D (2007) Practical experiences with application of the coal mine roof rating (CMRR) in Australian coal mines. International workshop on rock mass classification in underground mining, pp 65–72
International Society of Rock Mechanics (ISRM) (1982) Suggested methods for rock characterization, testing, and monitoring. Pergamon Press, London
Lauffer H (1958) Gebirgsklassifizierung für den Stollenbau Geol Bauwesen 24(1):4651
Mark C (1999) Application of the coal mine roof rating (CMRR) to extended cuts. Min Eng 51:52–56
Mark C, Barczak TM (2000) Fundamentals of coal mine roof support. Paper in New Technology for Coal Mine Roof Support. The NIOSH Open Industry Briefing IC 9453, pp 23–42
Mark C, Molinda GM (1996) Rating coal mine roof strength from exploratory drill core. In: Proceedings of the 15th international conference on ground control in mining, Golden, pp 415–428
Mark C, Molinda GM (2007) Development and application of the coal mine roof rating (CMRR). In: Mark C et al (eds) International workshop on rock mass classification in underground mining, pp 95–109
Mark C, Mucho TP (1994) Paper in new technology for longwall ground control. USBM Technology Transfer Seminar, USBM SP 94-01
Mark C, Molinda GM, Dolinar DR (2001) Analysis of roof bolt systems. 20th international conference on ground control in mining, pp 218–225
Mark C, Molinda GM, Barton TM (2002) New developments with the coal mine roof rating. International conference on ground control in mining, pp 294–301
Mark C, Molinda GM, Burke LM, Padgett P (2004) Preventing falls of ground in coal mines with exceptionally low strength roof: two case studies. 23rd international conference on ground control in mining, pp 220–227
Molinda G, Mark C (1994) The coal mine roof rating (CMRR)—a practical rock mass classification for coal mines. USBM IC 9387
Molinda GM, Mark C, Debasis D (2001) Using the coal mine roof rating (CMRR) to assess roof stability in US coal mines. J Mines Metals Fuels 49:314–321
MSHA (2006) Accident, illness and injury and employment self-extracting files (part 50 data). US department of labor, mine safety and health administration, office of injury and employment information, Denver
Osouli A, Moradi B (2015) Geomechanical properties of coal mine roof rating in Illinois. International Foundation Congress and Equipment Expo (IFCEE), pp 2049–2057
Osouli A, Shafii I, Moradi B, Zamiran S, Singh KS (2014a) Rock mass characterization for roof control design. 48th US American rock mechanics association geomechanics symposium, vol 3, pp 2032–2039
Osouli A, Moradi B, Shafii I, Singh KS (2014b) Conversion of point load test results to conventional strength tests for shale, claystone and limestone rocks. 48th US American rock mechanics association geomechanics symposium, vol 3, pp 1657–1664
Palei SK, Das SK (2008) Sensitivity analysis of support safety factor for predicting the effects of contributing parameters on roof falls in underground coal mines. Int J Coal Geol 75:241–247
Rusnak J, Mark C (2000) Using the point load test to determine the uniaxial compressive strength of coal measure rock. 19th international conference on ground control mining, pp 362–371
Shafii I, Osouli A (2015) Reliability of coal mine roof rating in mining applications. International Foundation Congress and Equipment Expo (IFCEE), San Antonio, pp 2058–2067
Terzaghi K (1946) Rock defects and loads on tunnel supports. In: Proctor RV, White TL (eds) Rock tunneling with steel supports, vol 1, pp 17–99
Williamson DA (1984) Unified rock classification systems. Bull Assoc Eng Geol 21:345–354
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the Prairie State Generating Co. LLC and Dr. Joseph Hirschi of Illinois Clean Coal Institute. This research was made possible with support, in part, by the Office of Coal Development of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity through the Illinois Clean Coal Institute. The authors also wish to thank Mr. Brent M. Vaughn, laboratory specialist and lecturer as well as Mr. Behrooz Moradi Bajestani in Civil Engineering department at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, for providing laboratory support in this study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Osouli, A., Shafii, I. Roof Rockmass Characterization in an Illinois Underground Coal Mine. Rock Mech Rock Eng 49, 3115–3135 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-016-0966-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-016-0966-4