ABSTRACT
U.S. Bureau of Mines research is developing technology that can lead to reduced accidents from roof falls in underground mining operations. Research efforts have focused on the development of systems to install rock reinforcements remotely, and in studies to define the interaction mechanics between rock mass and support systems.
Remote manual roof bolters, a fiberglass epoxy-resin pumpable roof-bolting system, and automated bolter modules, all of which utilize flexible shaft drills and bolt benders/inserters, are being developed. These systems provide remote longer-than-seam-height drilling and bolting capabilities. Systems are also being developed to grout rock bolts remotely in mine roof through application of a slurry injection system using low-cost, fast-setting gypsum cement. A device to evaluate the bond quality of full-column grouted bolts nondestructively is also under development.
A full-scale geotechnical model of a coal mine entry, in correlation with finite-element analysis, is being used by the Bureau for research in the area of roof-bolt support interaction mechanics.
