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Mining Publication: Toward Pillar Design To Prevent Collapse of Room-and-Pillar Mines
Keywords: Mine design Pillar design Room and pillar mining Support design and selection
This page is archived for historical purposes and is no longer being maintained or updated. Contact NIOSH Mining if you need an accessible version.
Original creation date: February 2001
Authors: RK Zipf
Conference Paper - February 2001
Download PDF Document (0.84 MB)
108th Annual Exhibit and Meeting, Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Denver, CO, Feb. 26-28, 2001, 11 pp
In some instances, extensive room-and-pillar workings can collapse with little warning and pose a serious risk to underground miners. Traditional strength-based pillar design methods applicable to coal or hard-rock mines use a factor of safety defined as pillar strength divided by pillar stress. Factor of stability, defined as local mine stiffness divided by post-failure pillar stiffness, may offer a way to design room-and-pillar mines and eliminate collapses. Three alternative design approaches to decreasing the risk of large-scale catastrophic collapses are described: the containment approach, the prevention approach, and the full-extraction approach. Until good data on the post-failure behavior of pillars become available, the containment and full-extraction options are the safest. The limitations in our ability to evaluate both the stability of old workings and the long-term performance of room-and-pillar mines are described.
Image of publication Toward Pillar Design To Prevent Collapse of Room-and-Pillar MinesConference Paper - February 2001
Download PDF Document (0.84 MB)
108th Annual Exhibit and Meeting, Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Denver, CO, Feb. 26-28, 2001, 11 pp
See Also
Design Methods to Control Violent Pillar Failures in Room-and-Pillar Mines
Effect of the Dip and Excavation Orientation on Roof Stability in Moderately Dipping Stone Mine Workings
Mistakes, Misconceptions, and Key Points Regarding Secondary Roof Support Systems
Pillar Design
Pillar Design Issues for Underground Stone Mines
Pillar Strength and Design Methodology for Stone Mines
Roof Span Design for Underground Stone Mines
Roof Stability Issues in Underground Limestone Mines in the United States
Stability Analysis of a Backfilled Room-and-Pillar Mine
Technology News 516 - ARMPS-HWM: New Software for Sizing Pillars for Highwall Mining
Ventilation Planning Layouts for Large Opening Mines
Page last reviewed: September 21, 2012
Page last updated: September 21, 2012
Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Mining Program
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