# A Review of the Impact of Spontaneous Combustion on Slope Stability in Coal Mine Waste Dumps
## 5 Discussion  
This chapter is dedicated to a comprehensive evaluation of the current state of knowledge and the development and implementation of designs able to address spontaneous combustion hazards, as well as their possible impact on slope stability. It provides an in-depth analysis of existing strategies, assessing their effectiveness in preventing and mitigating the risks associated with spontaneous combustion in mine waste dumps. The chapter also explores the challenges and limitations faced in research and practical application. In addition to evaluating current approaches, key research gaps have been identified, particularly in the areas where innovative advancements are needed. To address these issues, future research directions are proposed. The goal is to refine existing methods and introduce more sustainable, cost-effective solutions for combating spontaneous combustion, ensuring enhanced safety and environmental protection in mine waste dump operations. **Integrated Modelling Research**: Numerous studies have been conducted on spontaneous combustion in mine waste dumps, each addressing different aspects of this complex phenomenon. Much research has focused on the thermal behavior of the waste material, investigating oxidation processes, heat generation rates, and temperature distribution within the dump [5; 6; 41; 42; 43; 44; 45]. Other studies have examined the environmental impacts, such as greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and the release of toxic substances [7; 16; 22; 24; 32; 34; 37; 33]. Additionally, a number of research studies have been conducted on the physical and chemical properties of mine waste, including its moisture content, particle size distribution, and coal/sulfide content, which influence the likelihood and progression of combustion [9; 10; 11; 12; 17; 19; 47; 48; 49; 50; 51; 52; 53; 54; 55; 56; 57; 58; 59; 60; 61; 62; 63; 64; 65; 66; 67; 68; 69; 70; 71; 72]. There is also a body of work exploring the mechanical behavior of waste dump slopes, particularly in terms of slope stability, settlement, and deformation [42; 88; 89; 90; 91; 92; 93; 94; 95; 96; 97; 98; 99; 100; 101; 102; 103; 104; 105; 106; 107; 108; 109; 110; 111; 112; 113; 114; 115; 116; 117; 118; 119; 120; 121; 122; 123; 124; 125]. However, there remains a critical gap in the literature when it comes to studies that integrate thermal and mechanical aspects--that is, research that explicitly investigates how thermal processes (such as combustion and heat transfer) affect the mechanical response of mine waste dumps, including strength reduction, creep, and failure mechanisms. Most existing studies tend to treat thermal and mechanical phenomena in isolation, failing to capture the coupled interactions that are essential for understanding the realistic behavior of mine waste structures subjected to elevated temperatures. To address this limitation, there is an urgent need for the development of integrated thermo-mechanical models that can simulate the complex interplay between heat generation, thermal expansion, material degradation, and mechanical deformation. These models should incorporate multi-physics processes, including heat generation and transfer due to the oxidation of residual coal; gas flow and pressure build-up within the pore structure; thermal-induced softening and changes in shear strength; time-dependent deformation (creep) under sustained thermal and mechanical loads; and failure prediction under varying boundary and environmental conditions. Such integrated modeling frameworks are essential tools for advancing our predictive capabilities. By combining laboratory testing, field monitoring, and numerical simulations, we can better understand how spontaneous combustion evolves and impacts dump stability over time. These models would not only support proactive risk assessment and early warning systems but also inform the design of more resilient waste dump structures and targeted mitigation strategies, such as thermal barriers, compaction methods, and improved dump geometry.