ROCK MECHANICS ELEMENTS OF COAL MINE DESIGN.

During the past decade, significant progress has been made in applying rock mechanics principles to mine design problems by a great number of researchers. This paper outlines some of the design techniques that are being used in industry for improved roof and ground control. The discussion is restricted to coal mining in single, more or less horizontal seams. It covers a basic analysis concept that can be applied to the design of longwall development headings, to recommend pillar extraction schemes, to the caving properties of the overburden over longwall panels, subsidence prediction and the design of long term main entries.