# Impact of Mining Disturbance on Highway Sustainability:
###### Abstract
The proximity of the E75 highway (Aleksinacki Rudnicki section), which passes directly above the eastern boundary of the Southern District of the Morava Pit, along with continuous observations of ground surface subsidence over a vast area during coal mining in the Northern District of the Morava Pit, presents specific challenges unique to the Aleksinac coal mine. Additionally, with excavation depths reaching up to 750 m, Aleksinac is the deepest coal mine in Serbia. Due to the high costs of repairing damaged structures or compensating property owners, Serbian mining companies have increasingly focused on subsidence prediction to minimize potential losses. Predicting surface subsidence is a complex process due to the intricate behavior of the overlying rock mass, making accurate modeling difficult. The Serbian approach to this issue was initially developed in the 1980s through the stochastic Pataric-Stojanovic prediction method [69]. Compared to other countries, Serbia's four decades of investigating mine subsidence represent a relatively modest experience. The Pataric-Stojanovic stochastic theory has been applied in numerous underground coal mining case studies across Serbia and has been validated through extensive long-term geodetic measurements, confirming its reliability [47; 70; 71]. It was later enhanced with the development of the MITSOUKO software package, which integrates GIS-based spatial analyses, providing a robust tool for simulating land subsidence due to underground coal mining [72]. The key advantage of the Pataric-Stojanovic stochastic method over other predictive subsidence and deformation calculation methods (profile function, influence function, empirical, and numerical methods [35]) lies in its ability to forecast the dynamics of subsidence and deformations at any point on the ground surface for both horizontal and inclined coal seams (ranging from 10\({}^{\circ}\) to 60\({}^{\circ}\)), with validated accuracy. Additionally, its integration with GIS software enables graphical representation of spatial analysis data. Risk assessment for potential highway damage prior to planned coal seam exploitation depends on precise subsidence and surface deformation prognoses. If predicted deformations (slope and curvature) exceed permissible limits, the economic feasibility of coal exploitation must be carefully evaluated, considering the high costs of continuous highway reconstruction or relocation. Given the limitations of standard subsidence prediction methods for highways, this study introduces an advanced stochastic approach to forecast subsidence and deformations along Highway E75 (A1) Belgrade-Nis, affected by underground coal mining in the Southern District of the Morava Pit, Aleksinac. A significant contribution of this study lies in its focus on infrastructure protection, specifically forecasting subsidence-induced deformations along the E75 highway. Unlike previous research, which primarily addressed subsidence magnitude, this study provides a framework for assessing the spatial distribution of surface deformations affecting critical infrastructure. The ability to predict not only subsidence but also tilts and curvatures enables a comprehensive risk assessment for infrastructure stability in mining-affected areas. By integrating MITSOUKO software with GIS, this study enhances understanding of land subsidence mechanisms, deformation evolution, and the long-term sustainability of highway infrastructure in mining regions. These improvements offer a practical tool for engineers and decision-makers, enabling proactive mitigation of mining-induced risks to surface structures. Theoretical Background--Stochastic Pataric-Stojanovic Method for Prediction of Subsidence and Deformations  
The stochastic method Pataric-Stojanovic represents a model based on original mathematical formulas.