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Mining Publication: The Unpredictable Life Cycle of a Coal Pillar
Keywords: Pillar design Pillars Recovery rooms
This page is archived for historical purposes and is no longer being maintained or updated.
Original creation date: July 2007
Authors: SC Tadolini, P Zhang
Conference Paper - July 2007
Download PDF Document (1.14 MB)
NIOSHTIC2 Number: 20032433
Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Ground Control in Mining, July 31 - August 2, 2007, Morgantown, West Virginia. Peng SS, Mark C, Finfinger G, Tadolini S, Khair AW, Heasley K, Luo Y, eds., Morgantown, WV: West Virginia University, 2007 Jul; :90-96
A unique circumstance created by monitoring a pre-driven longwall recovery room permitted measuring the stresses of a coal pillar throughout its entire life cycle in less than a week. A fender pillar, created in approximately the middle of a longwall panel at a depth of 650 ft, transformed from a solid barrier pillar - to a yielding pillar - to a residual pillar as 3 ft slices were methodically removed with the longwall shearer. The complete transformation, or life cycle, took place in less than 12 hours. The stresses were quickly transferred from the pillar onto the standing pumpable concrete supports and into the outby pillars. Roof to floor closure measurements, combined with the timing of the pillar behavior, provides a detailed look at the uncontrollable convergence of underground mine openings. Pillars remain the most important form of "primary support" and understanding these life cycles is vital for safe and efficient mine design, in both room and pillar and longwall panel extractions.
Image of publication The Unpredictable Life Cycle of a Coal PillarConference Paper - July 2007
Download PDF Document (1.14 MB)
NIOSHTIC2 Number: 20032433
Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Ground Control in Mining, July 31 - August 2, 2007, Morgantown, West Virginia. Peng SS, Mark C, Finfinger G, Tadolini S, Khair AW, Heasley K, Luo Y, eds., Morgantown, WV: West Virginia University, 2007 Jul; :90-96
See Also
Analysis of Multiple Seam Stability
Analysis of Pillar Design Practices and Techniques for U.S. Limestone Mines
Assessment of Stable and Failed Pillars in Underground Limestone Mines
The Effects of Roof and Floor Interface Slip on Coal Pillar Behavior
Empirical Guidelines for Longwall Ground Control Design
The Forgotten Denominator: Pillar Loading
Pillar Design and Strategies for Retreat Mining
Pillar Design Issues for Underground Stone Mines
Reducing the Risk of Ground Falls During Pillar Recovery
Underground Stone Mine Pillar Design in Challenging Conditions
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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