• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2012

This paper shows an effective scanning trajectory for a mine detection device that is one of the mission equipments of unmanned ground vehicle. The mine detection device is composed of a mine-detection sensor, and a 4 DOF manipulator enabling sensor position control. There are three modes that manage the mine detection device: passive, semi-automatic, and automatic. The automatic mode is used the most. This paper suggests a scanning method that makes shape of 8. This method prevents missing target area and enhances scanning speed when the mine detection device scans the ground surface in automatic mode. The suggested method is verified by simulations and experiments.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.40-50
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• 2022

Background: Underground mines have several hazards that could lead to serious consequences if they come into effect. Acquiring, evaluating, and using the real-time data from the atmospheric monitoring system and miner's positional information is crucial in deciding the best course of action. Methods: A graphical user interface-based software is developed that uses an AutoCAD-based mine map, real-time atmospheric monitoring system, and miners' positional information to guide on the shortest route to mine exit and other locations within the mine, including the refuge chamber. Several algorithms are implemented to enhance the visualization of the program and guide the miners through the shortest routes. The information relayed by the sensors and communicated by other personnel are collected, evaluated, and used by the program in proposing the best course of action. Results: The program was evaluated using two case studies involving rescue relating to elevated carbon monoxide levels and increased temperature simulating fire scenarios. The program proposed the shortest path from the miner's current location to the exit of the mine, nearest refuge chamber, and the phone location. The real-time sensor information relayed by all the sensors was collected in a comma-separated value file. Conclusion: This program presents an important tool that aggregates information relayed by sensors to propose the best rescue strategy. The visualization capability of the program allows the operator to observe all the information on a screen and monitor the rescue in real time. This program permits the incorporation of additional sensors and algorithms to further customize the tool.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.373-382
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• 2012

Cessation of dewatering usually results in groundwater rebound after closing an underground coal mine because the mine voids and surrounding strata flood up to the levels of decant points such as shafts and drifts. Several numerical models have been developed to predict the timing, magnitude and location of discharges resulting from groundwater rebound. This study reviews the numerical models such as VSS-NET, GRAM and MODFLOW, and compares their scopes of assessment at different spatial and time scales. In particular, the GRAM model was reviewed in details to implement it. This paper describes the implementation of GRAM model and its application to the Dongwon coal mine in Korea. The application showed that the groundwater level modeled at the shaft of Dongwon coal mine using the GRAM model is similar to the observed one in the field.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.613-623
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• 2013

As Limestone mines have been operated with various environmental, societal and managemental problems depending on their characteristics and developing methods, many great efforts have been applied to solve these problems. Installing the mining facilities underground is one of the successful efforts to keep the sustainable limestone mine development. This effort could reduce these problems. However, unfortunately it made an side effect of constructing a large underground space in mining site. Moreover, this space caused a necessity of various disaster managements for the safety of workers and facilities. This study introduces the priority list of a limestone mining process if there are disasters in underground mining site. This result is coming from the risk assessment and business impact analysis on survey data which were obtained from the miners of that particular limestone mine. According to the result, the highest risk is 'disregard of safety guidelines in crushing & classifier process'. The result also shows the highest priority business, above all things, is 'a pit linked work of in & out process'.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.95-107
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• 2023

In this study, the effect of repeated traffic vibration on the long-term stability of mine openings is analyzed for re-utilization of abandoned mine galleries. The research mine in this study is an underground limestone mine which is developed by room-and-pillar mining method, and a dynamic numerical analysis is performed assuming that the research mine will be utilized as a logistics warehouse. The actual traffic vibration generated by the mining vehicles is measured directly, and its waveform is used as input data for dynamic numerical analysis, As a results of dynamic numerical analysis, after 20,000 repetitions of traffic vibration, the mine openings is analyzed to be stable, but an increase in the maximum principal stress and an additional area of plastic zone are observed in the analysis section. As shown in the changes of displacement, volumetric strain, and maximum principal stress which are measured at the mine opening walls. It is confirmed that if the repeated traffic vibration is continuously applied, the instability of the mine openings can be increased. Authors expect that the results of this study can be used as a reference for basic study on utilization of abandoned mine.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.282-288
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• 2014

Stoping method has been acknowledged as one of the typical metalliferous underground mining methods. Notwithstanding with the popularity of the method, the majority of stoping mines are suffering from excessive unplanned dilution which often becomes as the main cause of mine closure. Thus a reliable unplanned dilution management system is imperatively needed. In this study, reliable unplanned dilution prediction system is introduced by adopting artificial neural network (ANN) based on data investigated from one underground stoping mine in Western Australia. In addition, contributions of input parameters were analysed by connection weight algorithm (CWA). To validate the reliability of the proposed ANN, correlation coefficient (R) was calculated in the training and test stage which shown relatively high correlation of 0.9641 in training and 0.7933 in test stage. As results of CWA application, BHL (Length of blast hole) and SFJ (Safety factor of Joint orientation) show comparatively high contribution of 18.78% and 19.77% which imply that these are somewhat critical influential parameter of unplanned dilution.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.254-271
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• 2022

The performance of truck haulage operations in an underground mine was evaluated using the time usage model and key performance indicators (KPIs) proposed by Global Mining Guidelines Group (GMG). An underground mine that mainly produces iron and titanium iron was selected as a study area, and truck haulage data were collected using Bluetooth beacons and tablet PCs. The collected data were analyzed to identify unit operations, activities, events, and required time of truck haulage operations, and time categories were classified based on the time usage model. The performance of the haulage operations was evaluated using nine indicators in terms of availability, utilization, and effectiveness. As a result, in terms of availability, uptime was 33.9%, physical availability was 95.7%, and mechanical availability was 94.9%. In the case of utilization, use of availability was 83.1%, asset utilization was 28.1%, and operating and effective utilization were 79.6% and 77.7%, respectively. Also, in terms of efficiency, operating efficiency was high at 97.6%, and production effectiveness was found to be 49%.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.40 no.3 s.184
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• pp.295-306
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• 2007

In this study, we predicted areas vulnerable to ground subsidence near abandoned underground coal mine at Sam-cheok City in Korea using a probability (frequency ratio) model with Geographic Information System (GIS). To extract the factors related to ground subsidence, a spatial database was constructed from a topographical map, geo-logical map, mining tunnel map, land characteristic map, and borehole data on the study area including subsidence sites surveyed in 2000. Eight major factors were extracted from the spatial analysis and the probability analysis of the surveyed ground subsidence sites. We have calculated the decision coefficient ($R^2$) to find out the relationship between eight factors and the occurrence of ground subsidence. The frequency ratio model was applied to deter-mine each factor's relative rating, then the ratings were overlaid for ground subsidence hazard mapping. The ground subsidence hazard map was then verified and compared with the surveyed ground subsidence sites. The results of verification showed high accuracy of 96.05% between the predicted hazard map and the actual ground subsidence sites. Therefore, the quantitative analysis of ground subsidence near abandoned underground coal mine would be possible with a frequency ratio model and a GIS.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.534-544
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• 2009

The collapse of the underground cavity can cause the abrupt local subsidence of the ground surface. It can be hazardous to the stability of road and building for human activity. Therefore it is necessary to develop reinforcement methods for the filling of the underground cavity. This study was executed to improve the material quality and systems to fill the calcium-aluminate mineral $(C_{12}A_7)$ environmentally, and minimize the loss of filling materials for the steep underground cavity. Filling material which was developed in this study is composed of rapid hardening material and additives. The developed material had rapid hardening and non-separation ability in the water cavity condition, so it made the effective underground dam in the cavity with prevention of material loss when it was poured in the water cavity. Results of heavy metal leaching test for environmental assessment showed that it was environmentally suiTable material for the filling in the mine cavity.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2017

Most of the local limestone mines are developed as large-opening underground mines, while mine ventilation is heavily dependent on the natural ventilation and auxiliary systems, rather than the mechanical ventilation system using main fans. The current auxiliary ventilation system with fan and ducting requires optimization since enhanced deployment of diesel equipment demands higher airflow rate and the associated cost is expected to be too excessive for the local mine operators. This paper aims at optimizing the fan capacity for the working site ventilation through comparing the fan pressure in the mine airway and the ventilation efficiency of an axial-flow fan and a propeller fan developed in this study.