ABSTRACT
Based on long-term instrumentation, extensive numerical modeling and underground observations, procedures are developed for coal mine stability evaluation. In view of the lack of a coherent design methodology for jointed coal measure strata, such procedures should enhance coal mine design efforts toward increasing mine stability and productivity. In this chapter, an integrated approach for coal mine stability evaluation is developed, utilizing both planned geotechnical monitoring and numerical modeling. General monitoring and modeling procedures are developed by analyzing a comprehensive case study at a western U. S. coal mine. A carefully designed geotechnical monitoring program is essential to the development of a site-specific design methodology. Both three-dimensional displacement-discontinuity codes and two-dimensional finite-element codes are prudent for back analysis of coal mine geometries and for evaluation of alternative layouts.
