A New Dynamic Prediction Model for Underground Mining Subsidence Based on Inverse Function of Unstable Creep

In this study, an improved Knothe time function model is established via analogical reasoning from a phenomenological perspective, based on an inverse “Hohai creep model” function, in accordance with the antisymmetric relationship between the unstable creep curve and surface dynamic subsidence curve. An empirical method and fitting method are proposed to determine the parameters of the improved model based on the availability of measured field data. The accuracies of the two models are compared with monitored data from eight monitoring points in the main strike profile of the Guotun coal mine subsidence basin. The results show that the improved model can more accurately reflect the dynamic process of surface subsidence. The average relative standard deviation of the improved model is only 4.9%, which is far lower than the 23.1% associated with the Knothe model. This verifies the improved model’s accuracy and reliability. The model parameters for different monitoring stations obtained using the fitting method are similar, which shows that the model parameters are regular and can be easily applied.

Depositional Sequences in Northern Peru: New Insights on the Palaeogeographic and Palaeotectonic Reconstruction of Western Gondwana During Late Permian and Triassic

Late Permian to Early Jurassic strata in northern Peru allows us to carry out a seismo-stratigraphic, litho-tectonic and chemostratigraphic analysis connecting the Andean-Amazonian foreland basins of Huallaga, Ucayali, southern Marañón, and the Eastern Cordillera. This analysis and data integration from Ecuador to western Brazil and southern Peru and Bolivia, allow us to redefine the timing of the major documented tectonic phases and corresponding palaeogeographies of western Gondwana from the late Permian to Triassic. Three litho-tectonic sequences and four associated deformation stages are recognized: 1) A sequence, tectonic relaxation, during late Permian; 2) A-B intra-sequence, folding-and-thrusting attributed to a continuation in time of the Gondwanide Orogeny, during the Early to Middle Triassic; 3) B sequence, rifting, attributed to Gondwana breakup during the Middle and Late Triassic; and 4) C Sequence, thermal sag, during the Late Triassic. Evaporites and carbonates (A sequence) dominated a low subsidence basin with southern restricted marine inflow at the Permian-Triassic boundary. A novel palaeogeographic model for these evaporites suggests that this saline basin extended up to 50,000 km2 in a restricted environment area with a potential bullseye pattern. The last pulse of the Gondwanide Orogeny and associated fold and thrust belt (A-B intra-sequence) exhumed previous the sequence generating emerged areas with little to no sedimentation. Red beds (B sequence) characterize the rifting stage, representing the syn-depositional infill of continental grabens, likely extending to the Acre Basin in Brazil. Finally, during the thermal sag, a marine inflow likely from the northwestern part of Peru generated sedimentation of carbonates and evaporites (C Sequence) to the west and east of the Peruvian margin. This sediment differentiation was, in part, controlled by the existence of pre-existing grabens associated to the previous rifting stage. This interpretation, together with other evaporitic occurrences attributed here to a Late Triassic epoch in south and north Peru and west Brazil, suggest the existence of an evaporitic basin filling an undeformed area of probably ca. 170,000 km2. It is therefore suggestive of the existence of a Late Triassic (Norian to Rhaetian; 217 to 204 Ma) salt giant controlled by thermal sag in western Gondwana. Our results are of great relevance for any future interpretation related to mass extinctions, paleoclimatic analysis and ocean dynamics during the Permian and Triassic as well as natural resources distribution between Ecuador and Bolivia.

Monitoring, Analyzing, and Modeling for Single Subsidence Basin in Coal Mining Areas Based on SAR Interferometry with L-Band Data

Excessive exploitation of underground mine resources has caused serious land subsidence in China. This paper focused on monitoring and modeling the single subsidence basin in coal mining area based on SAR interferometry (InSAR). The optimum InSAR processing strategy to monitor the mining subsidence was built to obtain the land subsidence with large deformation. And a method of three-dimensional mathematical modeling of single subsidence basin based on InSAR measurements was presented. Using Jining Coalfield (China) as the study area, we acquired 7 L-band PALSAR images from January 2008 to February 2010 to monitor the land subsidence in Jining Coalfield. The deformation maps in Jining Coalfield in different periods were obtained. Taking the Geting Coal Mine within the Jining coalfield as an example, we finely analyzed and interpreted the deformation maps. Compared with the simultaneous filed measurements, the precision of deformation measurement using D-InSAR in mining area was analyzed. The root mean square error was 1.37 cm. The method of fine interpretation and analysis for a single subsidence basin was established. The experiments have proved that InSAR technique with L-band InSAR data is suitable for monitoring mining subsidence with large deformation. And the 3D mathematical modeling method could be used for the single subsidence basin in coal mining area.

Research on dynamic prediction model of surface subsidence in mining areas with thick unconsolidated layers

In order to improve the accuracy of the surface dynamic prediction model in mining areas with thick unconsolidated layers and improve Knothe time function, the influence coefficient was firstly changed into the coefficient in exponential form, and the influence coefficient of unconsolidated layer was added. Then, a subsidence basin prediction model for mining under thick unconsolidated layers was established. Next, the model was combined with the improved Knothe function, thus constructing a new mining subsidence prediction model. The new subsidence prediction model was applied in 1414 (1) working face in Huainan mining area. The results showed that the integrated model could better reflect the subsidence process, and the prediction values and the measured values agreed well.

An Approach for Estimating Underground-Goaf Boundaries Based on Combining DInSAR with a Graphical Method

The goaf left behind after mining has the potential to induce serious geological disasters due to the damaged internal structure of the rock. Estimating the boundary of the underground goaf can effectively control the occurrence of such disasters. However, traditional geophysical methods are inefficient and expensive and are particularly difficult to apply for a wide detection range. This paper proposes a new method for estimating the boundary of underground goaf using the differential interference synthetic aperture radar technique (DInSAR). More specifically, DInSAR is used to obtain the isoline of the subsidence basin above the goaf, and the direction of the two main sections of the goaf is then determined according to the basic law of mining subsidence. Following this, the basic principles of the probability integral and the graphical methods are combined to determine the mining boundary of the strike section and the incline section of the goaf. Finally, six geometric parameters reflecting the boundary of the goaf are obtained. Experiments on simulated and measured data indicate that the proposed method is feasible, with the average relative errors of the simulated and measured data reaching and maintained at 2.2% and 3.7%, respectively.

From extension to tectonic inversion: Mid-Cretaceous onset of Andean-type orogeny in the Lhasa block and early topographic growth of Tibet

Recent studies have indicated that an Andean-type orogen (Lhasaplano) developed on the Lhasa block in the Cretaceous during northward subduction of Neo-Tethyan oceanic lithosphere. When and how uplift of the Lhasaplano began, however, has remained controversial. This article integrates stratigraphic, sedimentological, tectonic, and provenance data from the latest marine to nonmarine strata in the Linzhou Basin to pinpoint the early topographic growth in southern Tibet. The Takena Formation mainly consists of lagoonal carbonates and mudstones yielding foraminiferal assemblages of Early Aptian age (ca. 123–119.5 Ma). The conformably overlying lower member of the Shexing Formation, mainly deposited in fluvial environments, was fed by volcanic and sedimentary rock fragments from the north Lhasa terrane. Clasts of the Gangdese arc to the south firstly appeared in the middle member and became dominant in the upper member of the Shexing Formation. By contrast, coarse grained, braided river facies occur in the uppermost part of the Shexing Formation, where detritus was mostly recycled from Paleozoic strata of north Lhasa, with minor volcaniclastic contribution from the Gangdese arc. Basin analysis indicates accelerating subsidence and sedimentation rates during deposition of Takena to middle Shexing strata (ca. 125–108 Ma), followed by steady subsidence during deposition of upper Shexing strata (ca. 108–96 Ma). Given this regional tectonic and sedimentary evidence, such an evolution is interpreted to reflect tectonic extension followed by thermal subsidence. Basin inversion and regional compression initiated during deposition of the uppermost Shexing strata (ca. 96 Ma), as indicated by active thrust faults and widespread accumulation of syntectonic conglomerates in the western part of the Lhasa block. This event marked the beginning of the Andean-type orogeny in southern Tibet. Such a paleotectonic evolution, from extension to tectonic inversion, is also documented in the Andes mountain range. It may be typical of the early stage growth of Andean-type active continental margins.

Bed separation backfill to reduce surface cracking due to mining under thick and hard conglomerate: a case study

After coal mining, the surface above a goaf may experience the discontinuous deformation under some special geological and mining conditions, such as surface cracking, surface step subsidence and collapse pits. Discontinuous deformation seriously threatens the safety of surface buildings and infrastructures. In this paper, the mechanism of discontinuous surface deformation and surface cracking due to coal mining under thick and hard conglomerate in the Huafeng coal mine was studied using a simulation test on similar materials. Bed separation backfill was then proposed to control surface cracking and to protect the Luli bridge. Because of lithological differences between the conglomerate and relatively weak red strata (beneath the conglomerate), the bed separation occurred between them with the advancement of the working face. When the bed separation span exceeded its breaking span, the conglomerate fractured, causing surface cracking of the downhill area and seriously damaging the stability of the Luli bridge. Three drilling holes were arranged along the strikes of the 1412 and 1613 working faces and nearly 387 000 m 3 of backfill materials (water, fly ash and gangue powder) were injected into the bed separation space to reduce or prevent fracturing of the conglomerate. The compacted backfill body supported the conglomerate and reduced the subsidence of the basin and surface ‘rebound' deformation at the edge of the subsidence basin. Clay in the red strata expanded upon contact with water, and this further backfilled the bed separation zone and supported the conglomerate. The upper and lower structures and foundation of the bridge were reinforced using various methods. It was shown that bed separation backfill effectively controlled conglomerate movement and protected the bridge with a maximum subsidence of 251 mm. No obvious surface cracks were observed near the Luli bridge.

Goaf Locating Based on InSAR and Probability Integration Method

Mining goafs can cause many hazards, such as burst water, spontaneous combustion of coal seams, surface collapse, etc. In this paper, a feature-points-based method for the efficient location of mining goafs is proposed. Different interferometric synthetic aperture radar (DInSAR) is used to monitor the subsidence basin caused by mining. Using the principles of the probability integral method (PIM), the inflection points and the boundary points of the basin monitored by DInSAR are determined and used as feature points to locate the goaf. In this paper, the necessity of locating goafs and the traditional methods used for this task are discussed first. Then, the results of verifying the proposed method by both a simulation experiment and real data experiment are presented. Six RADARSAT-2 images from 13th October 2015 to 5th March 2016 were used to acquire the subsidence basin caused by the 15235 working faces of the Jiulong mining area. The average relative errors of the simulation experiment and real data experiment were about 6.43% and 12.59%, respectively. The average absolute errors of the simulation experiment and real data experiment were about 28 m and 38 m, respectively. In the final part of this paper, the error sources are discussed to illustrate the factors that can affect the location result.