I

21* International Conference on Ground Control in Mining

A 3-D Semi-Analytical Method for Subsidence Prediction and Stress Analysis in Coal Mining
Li-min Liu, Associate Professor Han-long Liu, Professor Chuan-jle Lian, Professor Zhen-de Zhu, Associate Professor Hehai University Research lnstitute of Geotechnical Engineering Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, P.R. China Bing Gu, Economic Engineer Shandong Costume Profession lnstitute Tai'an. Shandong Province, P.R. China Jian Chen, Graduate Student Hehai University Research Institute of Geotechnical Engineering Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, P.R. China

Abstract The Semi-Analytical method can be used to solve a variety of prablems in geomechanics and civil engineering. When it comes to layered rock strata and rock masses, it is superior to all o t k analytical methods. This paper presents the application of a 3-D semianalytical method to 3-D surface subsidence and stress analysis caused by mining. In this semi-analytical method the layered elements and triangular elements ate used alternatively. Their displacement pattern, strain mahix, elastic matrix, stiffiness matrix, load matrix and stress matrix are presented. A numerical simulation program based on the semi-analytical method bas been developed using Fortran 90. This program is suitable for subsidence prediction and stress analysis of mom and pillar mining, strip longwall and mechanized longwall mining methods. It is applicable to all geological conditions and mining methods. Comparing with the finite method, this method reduces significantly the number of simultaneous equations to be solved and the amount of data preparation. It not only reduces the computer memory, but also runs faster and cost less.
Key Words Semi-analytical method, surface subsidence, stress analysis, layered elernenL triangular prism element

does not require 3-D analysis and saves considerably in data preparation, computing time and cost. Surface subsidence due to underground coal mining may cause damages to surface sttuctures and f d a n d and change surface and surface damage patterns. During the past few decades, a number of subsidence prediction techniques have been proposed Currently the Influence Function method is the most widely used method for prediction of longwall mining subsidence. But this method can only be used for subsidence prediction. It cannot be used for stress analysis in the affected strata. The finite element method can be used to analyze the shrcss and displacement in the strata affected by miqig. But due to computer memory size and computer time requid, it has been used mostly to solve 2-Dengineering problems. The 3-D problems discussed in this paper involves using the semi-analytical method to predict surface subsidence and analyze, through microcomputer, the complicated stress fieid induced by mining. This method not only overcomes the difficulties encountered when using mathematical analysis and its limited applicability, but also bas the following advantages based on the total discrete principle: Greatly reduce the amount and complication of calculation work and the demand for internal memory, and faster calculation speed.

1. Introduction
With the recent rapid development of computer technology, the numerical analysis of engineering problems has become very popular and been used in many engineering fields. The fmite element method has proven to be a powerful tool for analyzing 3-D problems with complicated geometry, material property and boundary condition. However there exists one type of problem that

2. The 3-D Model of Semi-analytical Method

Figure 1 shows the 3-D model for this research. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view. The upper block A is a horizontal strata of transversely isotropic material which is under'ain by an triangular block B. The block C includes the inclined seam excavated with tunnels

21" International Conference on Ground Control in Mining

Fig. 1The 3-Dsemi-anslyeP1 model

F i .4 The triangular prism element

The surface strata of transversely isotropic material are divided into discrete layered elements in the z direction with analysis in the x a n d y directions The triangular block ABC can be divided into many elements similar to Figure 4, with the discrete direction in they and z directions and analysis in the x direction. The inclined block C (including coal seam) is discrete in the z direction with analysis in the x and y directions. Boundary conditions: four sides of the model are free in the z direction, but fured in the x and y directions. The upper b o u n w of the model is fmwhile the lower boundary is fixed. As shown by Figure 1, tbrough various combinations of layered and triangular elements, the model can easily deal with the 3-D problems of surface subsidence and stress analysis in the strata affected by mining. Therefore it is very flexible and suitable for wide ranging conditions.

Fig. Z The cross-section view of the 3-Dmodel In the model, A and C are represented by 2-D layered elements. The local coordinates for Block A coincide with the global coordinates while that for Block C intersects the global coordinates with an angle a. Under the local coordinates equations are similar for both blocks. If openings are made within tbe layer, its effect can be eliminated thmugh integration. A typical layered element is shown in Figure 3.

3. Theory of 3-D Semi-analytical Method

The key step in using the 3-D Semi-analytical method
to analyze and solve engineering problems is how to select

suitable displacement models for layered and triangular elements. The displacement models should meet the compatibility conditions. 1The layer element
1.1 The displacement model

Flg. 3 The layer element As for the triangular block B, it can be automatically divided into many discrete triangular elements of 1-D. Figure 4 shows a typical triangular element. where In the model, the left, right, front, rear, and bottom boundaries are fixed boundaries and the upper boundary is free. The excavation height is the summation of the mining height and caving height and considered as an elastic material. In order to insure displacement continuity across the elements, the displacement model selected must satisfy consistency.
0

}
0

I=I

2 fI.[
1-1

LJny5,

C,s,<, 0 0

0 smCny<g

21" International Conference on Ground Control in Mining

1.2 The strain m a r k

1.6 The stress mafru

Idm = [DXB~{~)"," = [sl{4"" =b , s,l(fiI,.

2 The triangular prism element

where

2.1 The d~splocement model

1.3 The elastic mafru

If I=
where
I

n-l

E INL

(JIU.~J

The elastic matrix of mafenal is expressed by [D].

1.4 Thc slffnnesl matrix ofrhe element

cos- mxr
a

0
sinmm

[NL=
1

0
0

o
smmm a /

1 5 The loadmetnx o f the element

The gravitational body force:

~l~l~ws
mm
XI

YTlX2 '@'

nw Y ,

The concentrated force on the surface:

21" International Conference on Ground Control in Mining

2.4 The loadmat& ofthe dement

subsidence prediction and stress analysis. In comparison with f h t e element analysis, this method drastically reduces the number of simultaneous equations to be solved and the amount of data preparation required. It not only saves the internal memory and increases computing speed, but also reduces computer cost.

1. Example No. 1
Elastic Modulus of the material, E=500MPa; Poisson's Ratio, ~ 0 . 2 6 unit ; weight ~ 2 KN/m3. 7 Under the pvitational forow, the stresses at surface points A & B and points of interest C & D are shown in Tables 1 and 2, respectively (me Figure 5).
1.5 The stress mahix

iff], =[sl(s2
4. Examples
Based on the above analysis, a computer program using Forvan 90 has been developed for 3-D surface Table 1. Subsidence of surface mint
Flg 5. Example No.] model

I
point
A

I
F'=l

Subsidence value w(mm)

F ' = 5

I
P=9

Theoretical Computed
221
255

I Enor(%)
15.4 48.0

ComputGd 232.3 238.4

1 Enor(%)
5.1 7.9

Computed 223 224

Em"(%) 0.9
1.4

22 1

327

Table 2. Stress at points of interest

2. Example No. 2 This example involves 7 different materials in 12 layers (Figure 6). The top hw layers consist of the 1' type

of matenal which is transversely isotmpic. Its elastic modulus is E,=0.30 MPa, &=I7 MPa, b=p=0.23, y= 27 KN/m3. AU other layers from the 3 layer on are inclined at 20fmm the horizontal. The types of materials

21" International Conference on Ground Control in Mining

for these layers are in descending order 2,3,2,3,4,5,6,7, 7 & 7. The elastic constants for those types of materials and their respective thickness arc shown in Tables 3 and 4, respectively. Table 3. MPterW property Elastic

Type of materials

Fig. 7 The computed surface subsidence bash

Table 4. Thickness of layer number Layer 50 50 thislmess

I
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

. .

40 30 20 10 10 10 20 30
n monument

Figure 7 shows the computed surface subsidence basin after mining under self-weight Surfact subsidence profile in the major cross-section along the dip direction is shown in Figure 8 along with the measured surface subsidence values. Stress distribution at major mining locations is shown in Figure 9. It can be seen from Figure 9 that the maximum compre9sive stress occurred at point A with stress concentration=2.8. Along the bottom boundary, ththe is localized tensile stress which means this cross-section is in the tensile yield zone.

Fig. 8 Comparison between the computed surface subsidence and measured value

Flg. 9 Stnu distribution

5. Conclusion
Through systematic research, the 3-D semi-analytical method has been successfully applied to surface subsidence prediction and stress analysis due to minmg. Many case studies have shown that this method is a very efticient alternative to solve a variety of geameohanics problems. It is feasible to deal with the 3-D ground subsidence problems due to mining with the semianalytical method. The results generated by this method satisfy the needs for engineering prediction It provides an effective numerical method for mining engineering design and geomechnnics research.

iz

Fig.6 Example vertical profile

21'' International Conference on Ground Control in Mining 6. References

[I] Y. K . Cheung, Finite Ship Method in Structural Mechanics, F'cople's Traffic Ress, 1976 [2] 2. Y. Cao and Y. K . Cheung, the Semi-snalytio Numerical Methcd, Defmse Industry Ress. 1992 [3] J. R Bwker and J. C. Small, The Application of Finite Layer Method to T i m Dependent problems. Copyright 0 1994 by theDepartment of Civil and Structural Engineering, the University of Hong Kong [4]L.M.Liu. Study on Miming Subsidence Using Semi-Analytical Method, International Conference on Computation Methods in Smctural and Geotechnical Engineering, Copyrighm 1994 by the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, the University of Hong Kong