IMPACTS OF MINING ACTIVITIES ON SURFACE DEFORMATION

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses the causes of surface deformation as a consequence of mining activities. Surface deformation associated with underground coal mining, named subsidence, is a gradual settling of the earth’s surface. Subsidence effects can result from all mining methods, but especially coal mining. Some of the primary effects of surface subsidence include damages of infrastructure (buildings and roads). The most vulnerable areas for deformation are those where underground mine working are closed to the ground surface.
The way in which redistribution of stresses affect the surface is a function of the width and the height of the excavated area. Depends of the method of coal extraction it’s possible to arise on the ground surface the subsidence profiles with ellipsoidal shapes and discontinues displacements and deformations at the subsidence limits, fissures and cracks with different sizes, in function of the ground morphology. In the paper are presented methods for minimise surface deformations.

Keywords: coal mining, underground, deformation, surface.