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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Hazards and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 November 2023) | Viewed by 8441

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Hao Li

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Guest Editor

Key Laboratory of In-Situ Property Improving Mining of Ministry of Education, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Interests: multiphase and multi-field coupling rock mass mechanics theory; mine water hazard prevention and utilization; coalbed methane mining

Prof. Dr. Liqiang Ma

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Guest Editor

School of Mines, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Interests: mining overburden movement; water-conducting fracture zone; water-retaining mining

Dr. Pengfei Wu

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Guest Editor

Key Laboratory of In-Situ Property Improving Mining of Ministry of Education, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Interests: roof fall disaster prevention; hydraulic (anhydrous) fracturing and extraction of coalbed methane; CO₂ displacement of coalbed methane

Dr. Junqing Guo

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Guest Editor

Key Laboratory of In-Situ Property Improving Mining of Ministry of Education, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, China
Interests: roadway deformation and failure; mining overburden movement; roof cutting and pressure relief; coal and gas outburst

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

(1) Introduction, including scientific background and highlighting the importance of this research area.

Coal is one of the main energy sources used by human beings, and its sustainable, safe and efficient mining is of great significance for ensuring energy supply. However, the existing environment of underground coal resources is often complex, and disasters occur in many coal mines around the world, such as roof and floor water inrush, roof fall, coal and gas outburst, and dynamic pressure roadway deformation and damage, resulting in casualties and huge property losses. With the increase of mining depth, the stress field and seepage field change greatly, resulting in significant nonlinear characteristics of coal and rock elastic-plastic deformation, damage and fracture, broken block movement, permeability, etc. The occurrence mechanism of coal mine disasters is complex, and disaster prevention and control are more difficult. The sustainable management of coal mines faces severe challenges.

(2) Aim of the Special issue and how the subject relates to the journal scope.

Aim of the Special issue:

This Special Issue will be devoted to exploring new perspectives on the occurrence mechanism, prevention and control measures of coal mine disasters. It will solve newly discovered problems and hot issues through laboratory experiments, field practice and similar simulation, especially by using new theories and new numerical simulation methods, mainly focusing on coal mine water hazard, coal and gas outburst, roof fall, dynamic pressure roadway deformation and damage, as well as new and optimized technical measures proposed to eliminate coal mine disasters.

How the subject relates to the journal scope:

Coal accounts for 27.2% of the world’s primary energy consumption, and is the largest single source of power generation. The key to realizing the sustainable management of coal is to ensure the safe and efficient supply of coal, the core challenge of which is to reveal the mechanism and take reasonable measures to eliminate disasters. Therefore, the theme of this Special Issue relates to the journal's scope.

(3) Suggest themes.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

Theory and simulation of deep rock mechanics and seepage;
Mine water disaster mechanism and prevention;
Water inrush source, channel and division of danger zone;
Grouting of roof and floor;
Roof fall mechanism and prevention;
Deformation and failure of roadway;
Mining overburden movement, roof cutting (presplitting) pressure relief;
Coal and gas outburst;
CO₂ displacement of coalbed methane;
Hydraulic (anhydrous) fracturing of coal seams.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Hao Li
Prof. Dr. Liqiang Ma
Dr. Pengfei Wu
Dr. Junqing Guo
Guest Editors

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Keywords

coal mine water inrush
coal and gas outburst
roof fall
deformation and failure of roadway
rock mechanics and seepage

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 11188 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Coal Floor Brittleness on the Risk of Water Inrushes from Underlying Aquifers: A Numerical Study

by Zhichao Li, Zhuangzhuang Yang, Shuren Wang, Lianwei Ren and Jun Fang

Sustainability 2024, 16(4), 1489; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16041489 - 9 Feb 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 577

Abstract

Karst water in coal floors is the most common hazard in the coal fields of North China. Water inrush disasters always occur due to reductions in the efficacy of a coal floor’s water resistance ability, and have brought huge casualties and losses. The floor damage zone during mining disturbance is crucial to the formation of the water inrush pathway and is considered to be closely related with floor rock brittleness. To investigate the effects of coal floor brittleness on the hazard of water inrushes from underlying aquifers, four groups of numerical simulations are conducted in this study based on a finite-element method. These numerical simulations especially concern the contrastive analysis of brittle rock’s properties regarding the failure characteristics of rock samples, fracture development in layered rocks, the damage zone of the floor during mining disturbance, and the hazard of water inrush from the floor during mining. The results show that brittle rock is easier to destroy in comparison with ductile rock. Brittle layers are more likely to develop denser natural fractures than ductile layers. The more brittle the floor rock is, the larger the depth of floor damage will be. The brittle floor is verified to induce water inrush from an underlying aquifer more easily than the ductile floor. This study revealed the relationship between the brittle property of coal floors and the depth of mining-induced floor damage zones, providing a reference for hazard evaluation of water inrush from coal floors and control measures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coal Mine Disasters Prevention)

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19 pages, 11810 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on the Temperature Field Change Characteristics of Coal Gangue Dumps under the Influence of Ambient Temperature in Heat Pipe Treatment

by Jiamin Tong, Yongbo Zhang, Na Zhao, Aijing Wu, Feifei Shi and Junxing Chen

Sustainability 2023, 15(20), 15182; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152015182 - 23 Oct 2023

Viewed by 670

Abstract

In order to investigate the influence of ambient temperature on the temperature field of coal gangue dumps governed by heat pipes (HPs), using self-developed heat pipe and intelligent cloud monitoring software, a 1-year field test was conducted in the spontaneous combustion coal gangue dump of Danao liang. This study analyzed the temperature distribution changes of a spontaneous combustion coal gangue dump under different ambient temperatures, as well as the temperature changes of the coal gangue at different time scales. Correlation analysis between ambient temperature and coal gangue temperature was conducted, and a quadratic regression model was established for goodness of fit and significance testing. The results show that ambient temperature affects the distribution of the temperature field of the spontaneous combustion coal gangue dump under the action of the HPs, and the cooling effect on the high-temperature zone is stronger in autumn and winter. The daily change in coal gangue temperature at each measurement point is similar, showing a peak-shaped curve of low at night and high during the day. The inter-day changes of each measuring point have seasonal characteristics: the cooling rate of the high-temperature zone measuring point is affected by the ambient temperature; the seasonal characteristics of the low-temperature zone measuring point are more obvious than the high-temperature zone, and its daily average temperature is affected by the ambient temperature. The ambient temperature and the internal temperature of the coal gangue dump are correlated, and the quadratic regression equation has a high degree of goodness of fit and meets the F-test, indicating that the quadratic regression model can be used for the empirical regression formula of the ambient temperature and the internal temperature of the coal gangue dump. The results of this study provide some references for the sustainable development of mining environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coal Mine Disasters Prevention)

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30 pages, 10329 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Study on the Movement and Deformation Law of Overlying Strata and the Self-Healing Characteristics of Ground Fissures in Non-Pillar Mining in the Aeolian Sand Area

by Yaokun Fu, Yongzheng Wu and Xiwen Yin

Sustainability 2023, 15(20), 15136; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152015136 - 22 Oct 2023

Viewed by 893

Abstract

The mining area in western China is ecologically sensitive. Coal mining can cause the formation of ground fissures, leading to geological disasters and further accelerating the process of land desertification. In this study, the working face of non-coal-pillar mining in the aeolian sand area was considered as the research object. The movement and deformation law of overlying strata were investigated through field measurements, theoretical analysis, and numerical simulation, and the mechanism governing the self-healing characteristics of ground fissures was revealed. The results demonstrated that the surface angular parameters were lower. This implies that the surface movement and the degree of deformation in non-coal-pillar mining in the aeolian sand area are significant, with a large mining influence range and rapid surface subsidence speed. After the mining of the working face, the resulting failure form of the overlying rock was asymmetric. Boundary ground fissures are typically located within the boundary of the working face, and no outward expansion is primarily observed. Dynamic ground fissures have “waviness” morphological characteristics and asymmetric “M” type development characteristics. A location model as well as a development cycle model of dynamic ground fissures were established for the first time, which can be used to predict the location and period of ground fissures. Based on the motion characteristics of hinged rock block structures, the mechanical mechanism of the self-healing phenomenon of dynamic ground fissures was revealed. A partition monitoring mode of working faces without coal pillar mining was proposed for the first time, which can reduce a lot of manpower and material resources. The coal mining subsidence basin is divided into a natural restoration area and an artificial restoration area. The combination of natural restoration and artificial guidance was used to control the ground fissures and reduce the associated costs. The research conclusions can provide a basis for mining damage evaluation and ecological environment protection in the aeolian sand area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coal Mine Disasters Prevention)

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29 pages, 6454 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microseismic Signal Characteristics of the Coal Failure Process under Weak-Energy and Low-Frequency Disturbance

by Xiaoyuan Sun, Yongliang He, Tingxu Jin, Jianlin Xie, Chuantian Li and Jiewen Pang

Sustainability 2023, 15(19), 14387; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914387 - 29 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 720

Abstract

In deep mining, “critical static stress + slight disturbance” is an important inducing form of coal mine rockburst disasters. In previous studies, the critical static stress has been shown to be consistent with the loading direction of a slight disturbance but cannot reflect all types of rockbursts. In addition, the research that uses microseismic (MS) signals to reflect the overall process and critical stages of coal failure and instability under weak-energy and low-frequency disturbance conditions is immature, and more information, such as the critical state, has not been fully revealed. The aims of this paper are to further elucidate the important role of weak-energy and low-frequency disturbances in the occurrence of rockburst disasters. First, briquette samples were prepared from the Tashan Coal Mine, which is severely affected by rockbursts, and their homogeneity was verified using ultrasonic longitudinal wave velocity. Second, the natural frequency of the coal sample specimens was measured using a testing system. Then, based on the self-developed static pressure loading system, dynamic and static combined loading test system and MS signal monitoring device, the MS signal characteristics during the process of coal body failure and instability were comprehensively analysed. Finally, a comparison was made between weak-energy and low-frequency disturbances and impact disturbances. The results are summarized as follows. (1) The longitudinal wave velocity test results reflect that the briquette samples prepared in the experiment have high homogeneity. The smaller the particle size is, the higher the density and moulding pressure, and the denser the sample. (2) The natural frequency of the briquette samples is between 30.79 Hz and 43.34 Hz, and most of them fluctuate at approximately 35 Hz. (3) During the static loading stage, the occurrence of more than three MS signals of larger magnitude in a continuous cluster is an important criterion for the critical failure of the samples. (4) The weak-energy and low-frequency disturbance actually leads to fatigue damage, and the briquette sample experiences three stages: the near-threshold stage, the high-speed expansion stage and the final fracture stage. The smaller the particle size of the coal sample, the denser the specimen, the stronger the amplitude and energy of the single effective MS signal formed during the destruction process, the longer the time duration of crack expansion from the near-threshold stage to the high-speed expansion stage, and the stronger the ability of the coal sample to resist weak-energy and low-frequency disturbances. This study may contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the destabilization mechanism of coal bodies and MS signal characteristics under weak-energy and low-frequency disturbances and provide a reference for further research and discussion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coal Mine Disasters Prevention)

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15 pages, 8116 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Distribution of Overlying Rock Fractures Caused by Mining in Ultra-Thick Coal Seams and Its Impact on the Near-Surface Aquifer

by Yang Zhou and Xueyi Yu

Sustainability 2023, 15(18), 13974; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813974 - 20 Sep 2023

Viewed by 568

Abstract

Near-surface water is the foundation for maintaining the ecological environment, and coal remains an important energy source in today’s world as we face a shortage of green energy. Achieving near-surface-water protection while safely mining coal is an important way to ensure social and ecological health and sustainability. The key lies in whether the fracture height of the mining overlying strata affects the aquifer. This article compiles the coupling finite element and discrete element method (CFE-DEM) and established mechanical constitutive models such as the interaction between rock blocks on both sides of the penetrated fracture, rock mass fracture process, and the plastic deformation law of rocks based on the results of mining-induced overlying rock failure. On this basis, a numerical calculation model is established based on the engineering geological conditions of the Beixinyao Coal Mine. The numerical simulation results indicate that the theory and the CFE-DEM method can numerically simulate the distribution and evolution of mining-induced overlying rock fractures. The water-conducting fractures in the overlying strata of extra-thick coal seams extend to the front of the working face in a trapezoidal shape, and the angle formed between them and the advancing direction ranges from 62° to 75°. Combined with the in situ measurement results, the height of the water-conducting fracture zone of the extra-thick coal seam is between 209 m and 230 m; the fractures were not found to have affected the aquifer at a vertical distance of 252 m from the coal seam. This means that the impact of ultra-thick coal seam mining on the aquifer is very limited. The research is of great significance for ensuring coal mining and surface ecological sustainability in ultra-thick coal seam areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coal Mine Disasters Prevention)

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20 pages, 8567 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on Overburden Fracture and Structural Distribution Evolution Characteristics of Coal Seam Mining in Deep Large Mining Height Working Face

by Jianguo Zhang, Xiaofeng Qin, Shuaitao Liu, Haijian Su, Zhanbiao Yang and Guochuan Zhang

Sustainability 2023, 15(18), 13365; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813365 - 6 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 800

Abstract

Coal mining has gradually entered the deep mining era, and large-height mining is an important way to mine thick coal seams in the deep. The high coal wall will inevitably make the distribution of the overburden structure in the coal mining face more complicated, and the large buried depth will also cause more intense mine pressure. The study of the distribution and evolution of the overburden structure and stress in the mining site can provide theoretical guidance for safe mining. In this work, a physical similarity modeling test was carried out based on the physical–mechanical parameters of overburden rock and similarity theory, taking the mining of a deep, large-height working face in Pingdingshan Coal Mine as an example. The results show that the deformation and breakage of overburden rock in deep, large-height workings occurring during mining is persistent and not only in a short period of time. The breakage form of overburden can be categorized into two types based on the deformation characteristics: (I) non-separation-induced type, and (II) separation-induced type. Among these, the breakage induced by separation can be divided into two categories: (i) dominated by self-weight stress, and (ii) affected by shear cracks. It also summarizes the form of the overburden structure and the structural morphology of the stope. The overburden structure shows a “combined cantilever beam structure-articulated rock-slab structure-non-articulated rock-slab structure”. Among these, the periodic breakage of the upper cantilever beam evolved articulated and non-articulated rock-slab structure in the lower part, which weakened the supporting effect of the lower gangue and further aggravated the breakage of the upper overburden rock. The shape of the main structure of the stope mainly depends on the fracture line from the advancing coal wall to the upper overburden: from a rectangular shape without collapse to a trapezoidal shape at the initial stage of collapse, to a trapezoidal shape with multiple steps after the main roof collapse. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coal Mine Disasters Prevention)

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14 pages, 3919 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamic Tensile Failure Characteristics and Energy Dissipation of Red Sandstone under Dry–Wet Cycles

by Wu Sun, Bin Du and Qiangqiang Cheng

Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 10566; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310566 - 5 Jul 2023

Viewed by 830

Abstract

Studying the dynamic properties of rocks in complex environments is of great significance to the sustainable development of deep-sea metal mineral resource extraction. To investigate the influence of dry–wet cycles on the dynamic tensile properties and energy dissipation of red sandstone, a series of dynamic Brazilian disc tests was carried out through the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) apparatus. The dynamic tensile behaviors and energy dissipation distribution of the red sandstone specimens after different dry–wet cycles (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 cycles) were analyzed in this study. The degree of dynamic tensile fragmentation and energy dissipation of red sandstone is significantly affected by the loading rate. Specifically, when the number of dry–wet cycles remains constant, an increase in loading rate results in a significant reduction in the average fragment size, while the energy consumption density exhibits an approximately linear increase. At a fixed loading rate, the energy consumption density decreases approximately linearly with the increase in dry–wet cycles, and the higher the loading rate, the more sensitive the energy consumption density is to the dry–wet cycle. Under a fixed number of dry–wet cycles, the dynamic tensile strength has an exponential relation with the increase in energy consumption density. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coal Mine Disasters Prevention)

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20 pages, 10980 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on the Distribution Trend of Rockburst and Ground Stress in the Hegang Mining Area

by Jiewen Pang, Jianlin Xie, Yongliang He, Qiaoyun Han and Yongjiang Hao

Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9445; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129445 - 12 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 751

Abstract

As the depth of coal mining increases, rockbursts become more severe, and multiple rockburst accidents have previously occurred, seriously affecting coal mine production safety. With the Hegang mining area as the research object and using field measurement and numerical simulation as the research methods, the geological and tectonic characteristics of each impact mine in the Hegang mining area are analyzed to obtain the tectonic stress field distribution characteristics of each mine and the tectonic stress field distribution trend in the Hegang mining area. The maximum horizontal principal stress and the minimum horizontal principal stress on the energy field in the overrun area of the retrieval working face is analyzed via numerical simulation, and the influence trend of the ground stress on the impact ground pressure is finally obtained. Results show that using the typical working face where rockburst occurs as the geological proto-type, the influence of the direction of the ground stress field, the maximum horizontal principal stress and the minimum horizontal principal stress on the energy field in the overrun area of the retrieval working face is analyzed via numerical simulation, and the influence trend of the ground stress on the impact ground pressure is finally obtained. When the angle is 70°~90°, an energy peak in the overrun area of the working face reaches its maximum. The ratio of the minimum horizontal stress to the vertical stress is positively correlated with the energy concentration in the overrun area of the working face, but its change has a minimal effect on the energy distribution in the overrun area of the working face. When this ratio is increased from 0.6 to 1.4, the peak energy of the simulated working face only increases by 8.22%, and the energy concentration area remains basically unchanged. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coal Mine Disasters Prevention)

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16 pages, 6013 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prediction and Application of the Height of Water-Conducting Fracture Zone in the Composite Roof: A Case Study of Jinxinda Coal Mine

by Guohua Zhang, Wenyan Xing, Yanwei Duan, Tao Qin and Xiangang Hou

Sustainability 2023, 15(11), 9003; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15119003 - 2 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 703

Abstract

The water inrush from the roof of the coal mine is closely related to the movement failure of overburdened rock and the height of the water-conducting fracture zone. In this work, based on the research background of water disaster prevention and control of the No. 2 coal seam roofs in Jinxinda Coal Mine, the stability characteristics of overlying rock in the working face are analyzed through combining theoretical analysis and numerical simulation. According to the theory of key strata, the fracture conditions of hard rock and soft rock are analyzed, and the maximum height of the water-conducting fracture zone in the 201 working face is calculated to be 35.72 m. The crack evolution law of composite roofs was simulated and analyzed using discrete element software. It was found that the basic roof (4.50 m thick) and the fine sandstone (7.64 m thick) are the two inferior key strata, and the maximum development height of the water-conducting crack is 36 m, which is basically consistent with the field measured results. Transient electromagnetic exploration technology was used to detect the working face, and nine abnormal areas were found. In order to prevent the influence of water disasters in abnormal areas during mining, drilling verification is carried out in abnormal areas. According to the analysis of drilling verification, there are no water disasters in the geophysical anomaly area, but the management of the roof after mining should be strengthened during mining. The expected research results not only enrich the rock formation control theory and roof water inrush mechanism; they also have important practical significance in guiding the safety production of a coal mine. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coal Mine Disasters Prevention)

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17 pages, 6718 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rule Study on the Risk of Floor Water Inrush Based on the Plate Model Theory

by Hao Liu, Xiaoquan Li, Xiaoyan Liu, Yunjie Sun, Zhiwen Yang and Yuankun Zhong

Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 7844; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107844 - 10 May 2023

Viewed by 1172

Abstract

In order to mitigate the potential issue of abrupt water inrush in coal mining operations, the elastic-plastic mechanics theory was employed to simplify the water barrier of the floor strata into a thin rectangular plate. Subsequently, a fluid-solid coupling damage model was designed through the utilization of COMSOL Multiphysics software to investigate the coupled seepage and damage effects of the rock mass in an equivalent continuous medium. The results indicate that (1) the analysis of the theoretical equation of elastic mechanics shows that the fracture position of the four-sided clamped thin plate is in the center of the four sides, and the theoretical limit span and the theoretical limit water pressure formula are derived. (2) The damage factor is used to characterize the damaging effect of different mining distances and different pore water pressures on the rock mass of the floor aquiclude in the numerical simulation. It is found that the damage tends to the open-off cut and stop-mining line of the floor waterproof layer and the center position on both sides of the coal wall, and the stress is the most concentrated. (3) The results obtained by the two research methods are highly consistent, which provides a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of water in ground mining mines, so as to realize safe mining above the confined aquifer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Coal Mine Disasters Prevention)

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