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Numerical Study of Stability and Connectivity of Vertical Goaf Drainage Holes

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Abstract

During underground longwall coal extraction, overburden strata deformation may result in vertical goaf drainage holes, which are drilled in advance of mining for tail gate gas management, to fail. The performance of these vertical goaf drainage holes is controlled by mine design parameters and local geomechanical properties. This paper investigates the use of advanced 3D finite element modelling and 2D discrete element modelling simulation techniques to understand the fundamentals of vertical goaf drainage hole failure mechanism due to strata shear at a currently operating gassy Australian mine site. Finite element modelling is used to investigate the location of high shear in the overburden strata at the vertical goaf gas drainage hole region during longwall mining and the discrete element modelling is used to examine connectivity from the goaf region to the goaf-gas drainage system.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support from the Anglo-American Metallurgical Coal, Australia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, CSIRO, Mineral Resources, 1 Technology Court, Pullenvale, QLD, 4069, Australia

    Manoj Khanal, Brett Poulsen, Deepak Adhikary, Rao Balusu & Andy Wilkins

  2. Anglo American Metallurgical Coal, 201 Charlotte Street, Brisbane, Australia

    Bharath Belle

  3. School of Minerals and Energy Resources Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

    Bharath Belle

  4. School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

    Bharath Belle

  5. School of Mining Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

    Bharath Belle

Authors
  1. Manoj Khanal
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  2. Brett Poulsen
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  3. Deepak Adhikary
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  4. Rao Balusu
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  5. Andy Wilkins
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  6. Bharath Belle
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Correspondence to Manoj Khanal.

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Khanal, M., Poulsen, B., Adhikary, D. et al. Numerical Study of Stability and Connectivity of Vertical Goaf Drainage Holes. Geotech Geol Eng 39, 2669–2679 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-020-01650-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-020-01650-6

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