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Mine tremor focal mechanism: An essential element for recognising the process of mine working destruction

  • Geophysics in Geology and Mining
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Abstract

This article presents an analysis of causes of rockburst which occurred in the Rydułtowy-Anna Mine on 24 March 2010. The seismic phenomena and the rockburst hazard connected with them have been determined by a number of natural and technical factors. The dominant factors were the mechanical strength characteristics of coal and surrounding rocks, as well as the values of stress in the surroundings of mine workings. An analysis must take into account the structure of the strata, its susceptibility to rockbursts, development and displacement of areas with high values of stress, as well as critical levels of elastic deformation of the strata. Such an approach must be supported by the results of an analysis of focal mechanisms of tremors to make it possible to recognize mining and geological factors which had the prevailing influence on tremors’ location and energy. By presenting a selected example of a real event, the authors would like to point out the importance of the proper description of focal mechanisms of seismic tremors. The analysis of a chain of interacting destruction processes in the developed model of strata would give the explanation why the tremor occurred in the gallery located at a considerable distance from the tremor focus.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Central Mining Institute, Katowice, Poland

    Krystyna Stec & Jan Drzewiecki

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  1. Krystyna Stec
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  2. Jan Drzewiecki
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Correspondence to Krystyna Stec.

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Stec, K., Drzewiecki, J. Mine tremor focal mechanism: An essential element for recognising the process of mine working destruction. Acta Geophys. 60, 449–471 (2012). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11600-011-0036-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11600-011-0036-y

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