• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.449-463
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• 2014

There are many case studies and application cases in abandoned mines for hydraulic filling method filled by slurry or paste form, but research on the pneumatic filling is not applied in Korea. The damage of steel pipe is occurred by wear due to the flow of filling material in the bent area of steel pipe in traditional pneumatic filling method. In this study, the new pneumatic filling method was developed using a newly devised improved nozzle to improve the above problem. The model test for mine filling was performed in the laboratory for the simulated accessible or inaccessible mine cavities, and the filling efficiency by the results obtained from the test was calculated. The filling efficiency was analyzed from the variation of outlet angle, feed rate and grain size of sand in model test of simulated accessible mine cavity. The superiority of improved pneumatic filling method was proved through the analysis of filling efficiency by the results obtained from each model tests of gravitational, traditional, and improved filling method in simulated inaccessible mine cavity.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.332-340
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• 2015

Ground subsidence occurring in mine area can cause an enormous damage of loss of lives and properties, and a systematic survey should be conducted a series of field investigation and ground stability analysis in subsidence area. This study describes the results from field investigation and ground stability analysis in a limestone mine located in Cheongwon-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea. Rock mechanical measurements and electrical resistivity surveys are applied to obtain the characteristics of in-situ rock masses and the distribution patterns of subsurface weak zone, and their results are extrapolated in numerical analysis. From the field investigation and stability analysis, it is concluded that the subsidence occurrence in this limestone mine is caused mainly by subsurface limestone cavities.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.135-141
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• 2002

This research has been conducted to investigate the influence of mined cavities on a tunnel to be constructed around a coal mine. The location and dimension of cavities were supposed by analysing synthetically geological structures and condition of coal beds as well as gangway map since there does not exist any map describing mined cavities. Detailed geological and geophygical survey have also been carried out for the purpose of understanding the geological structure and rock mass conditions. The two dimensional numerical analysis with FLAC has been performed on the geological sections reconstituted from the obtained information and the affects of mined cavities on the tunnel have been assessed.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.137-153
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• 1996

The purpose of this study is to investigate the possibilities of identifying and detecting underground cavities using seismic waves recorded by the fixed and mobile stations. During 18 months of field work we recorded chemical explosions near the Bongdarn station. Seismic Stations were installed on the free surface and underground inside the Samba mine. The seismograms at the fixed(lorg-term) seismic station show abrupt change of polarization characteristics which can he associated with the appearance of P-to-S converted phase(PS) at 150 ~ 200 msec after the first P arrival. This result indicates that converted phases are generated very near to the Bongdarn station at a depth of 190m. Shear-wave splitting phenomena have also been observeci The time delay between fast shear(fS) and slow shear(sS) waves ranges between 30 and 60 msec(average is 42 msec). However, exact time delay between the fast and the slow shear waves can not be accurately measured because of the very short time delay and limitation of sampling rate. Chemical explosion experiments were recorded at stations along various paths to contrast the seismic response of areas with and without cavities. The seismograms recorded at the stations installed at cavity areas show an abrupt change of polarization characteristics but not on the other stations. Seismic waves propagating through the cavity are characterized by the attenuation of high frequency waves and predominantly low frequency seismic waves after the S wave arrivals.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.295-306
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• 2021

This study used numerical modeling to investigate the stability of railway roadbed in areas with various underground cavities and rock conditions associated with mining activities. It compared combined loads from both passenger and freight trains with loads from only passenger trains. Stability was assessed with reference to the Korean government standards for railway subsidence allowance and railway warping repair. Sufficient stability regarding the railway subsidence allowance standard was not achieved when cavities were at depths of <5 m. The criteria for requiring railway warping repair were met when cavities were at depths of <15 m, depending on the rock fracture condition. This study provides the first report on systematic analysis land subsidence related to cavity size and rock fracture conditions associated with mining activities. We expect that this study could serve as an important reference for railway construction in mining areas.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.29-41
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• 2024

The increasing demand for metallic minerals due to global growth and the continued exploitation of near-surface minerals requires safe and efficient ways to mine ores present in deep mines. In deep mines, stresses concentrated around the cavity increase, which can lead to problems such as induced seismicity and rockbursts. In addition, the transfer of energy from blasting to deeply located faults can cause fault slip, which can lead to earthquakes, and controlling these events is key to deep mining methods. In this technical report, we will introduce the Underhand Closed Bench (UCB) mining method, which can control possible accidents and increase productivity when mining in deep mines.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 1998

Time-lapse crosswell seismic data, recorded before and after the cavity filling, showed that the filling increased the velocity at a known cavity zone in an old mine site in Inchon area. The seismic response depicted on the tomogram and in conjunction with the geologic data from drillings imply that the size of the cavity may be either small or filled by debris. In this study, I attempted to evaluate the filling effect by analyzing velocity measured from the time-lapse tomograms. The data acquired by a downhole airgun and 24-channel hydrophone system revealed that there exists measurable amounts of source statics. I presented a methodology to estimate the source statics. The procedure for this method is: 1) examine the source firing-time for each source, and remove the effect of irregular firing time, and 2) estimate the residual statics caused by inaccurate source positioning. This proposed multi-step inversion may reduce high frequency numerical noise and enhance the resolution at the zone of interest. The multi-step inversion with different starting models successfully shows the subtle velocity changes at the small cavity zone. The inversion procedure is: 1) conduct an inversion using regular sized cells, and generate an image of gross velocity structure by applying a 2-D median filter on the resulting tomogram, and 2) construct the starting velocity model by modifying the final velocity model from the first phase. The model was modified so that the zone of interest consists of small-sized grids. The final velocity model developed from the baseline survey was as a starting velocity model on the monitor inversion. Since we expected a velocity change only in the cavity zone, in the monitor inversion, we can significantly reduce the number of model parameters by fixing the model out-side the cavity zone equal to the baseline model.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.595-600
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• 2001

Recently, interests in subsidence hazard have been increased due to the underground construction such as subway construction and managements of abandoned mines. GIS analysis of subsidence hazard has a lot of advantages in handling of spatial data and managing database. For better result of GIS analysis, there are some necessities of modifying previous subsidence theory and model. To take surface profile into account allows the application of complicated topology. Furthermore. for 3-dimensional analysis. two subsidence profile curves that are perpendicular to each other should be considered simultaneously. Through these modifications, the model for subsidence analysis using GIS can be established. With ideal case of cavities and other conditions, GIS analysis was accomplished and meaningful results were produced. More realistic properties of cavity. soil layers, groundwater condition and topology will enable GIS analysis method to produce more reliable result and to widen the area of applications.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.226-241
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• 2020

The stability of underground mine cavity is closely related with pillar strength. The vulnerability of pillars can be judged and reinforced if the pillar strength is known. The pillar strength is affected by characteristics of discontinuities and shape of a pillar. The change of pillar strength due to a discontinuity passing through the center of a pillar, width-to-height ratio of a pillar and small joints existing within a pillar was analyzed using PFC 3D. The result showed that the pillar strength is influenced by dip angle of a discontinuity and it increases as width-to-height ratio of a pillar increases. The pillar strength decreases as the number of contained joints increases. The relationship between total trace length observable from the pillar surface and the pillar strength was regressed with exponential function. The correlation coefficient of the regression was high enough so that pillar strength can be predicted using total trace length if a joint set exists in a pillar. Lastly, the method to estimate the strength of a pillar that includes two joint sets was proposed if the joint dip angles are 60°, 30°. The method also need total trace lengths of two joint sets.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.107 no.4
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• pp.393-401
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• 2018

The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics of ground subsidence and land-creeping in four mining areas in Korea. Land creeping were occurred by large-scale sinkholes and tensile cracks in the mining areas. This ares showed the shape as large-scale landslides by the collapsed stone debris pushed in the direction of gravity. The rock type in the No. 4 survey area was sandstone and shale, whereas that of other three areas was limestone. The limestone was generally vulnerable to land creeping. The ground subsidence and land creeping in four mining areas were located near the ridge of the mountain. The land creeping by ground subsidence in the mining areas showed complex shapes due to the cavity of underground tunnel and the colluvial debris by gravity in the mountain area, whereas the land creeping in Korea are in the shape of landslide. The average slope of the mining area was ranged from $30.4^{\circ}$ to $33.7^{\circ}$. The values were higher ($1.5^{\circ}{\sim}4.8^{\circ}$) than the average slopes for landslide areas.