Monitoring of hydro-geomechanical processes in piling coal preparation refuse

The article addresses hydro-geomechanical aspects of safe and efficient piling of different-type coal preparation refuse, including tailings after dewatering down to a moisture content of 30%. The lab-scale test data on physical and mechanical properties of mining and processing waste are described. They show that in joint piling of large screen rejects and fine-grained tailings of coal flotation, it is possible that the excessive pore pressure appears in weakly permeable coal refuse piles. Using the finite element-based numerical modeling, the stress–strain variation prediction in a coal refuse pile during its construction is carried out. The modeling took into account the undrained behavior of the pile and the piling flow diagram. Using the developed analytical model, the prediction of the excessive pore pressure development in the coal refuse pile was implemented, and its variation dynamics was assessed at different stages of piling. It is found that the excessive pore pressure greatly affects the pile stability. With regard to the predicted hydro-geomechanical processes, the recommendations were elaborated for the integrated pile safety monitoring, including automated hydrogeological monitoring using pore pressure sensors, deformation surveillance using reference lines and well inclinometers, as well as geotechnical and technological control.

Keywords: waste piles, coal preparation refuse, flotation tailings, manmade deposits, hydrogeomechanical processes, consolidation, pore pressure, numerical modeling, stability, safety monitoring.
For citation:

Pospehov G. B., Kutepov Yu. Yu., Kondakova V. N. Monitoring of hydro-geomechanical processes in piling coal preparation refuse. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2025;(2):99-113. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2025_2_0_99.

Acknowledgements:
Issue number: 2
Year: 2025
Page number: 99-113
ISBN: 0236-1493
UDK: 624.131.37
DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2025_2_0_99
Article receipt date: 17.06.2024
Date of review receipt: 25.12.2024
Date of the editorial board′s decision on the article′s publishing: 10.01.2025
About authors:

G.B. Pospehov1, Cand. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), e-mail: pospehov@spmi.ru, Leading Researcher, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-9090-5150,
Yu.Yu. Kutepov1, Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Leading Researcher, e-mail: Kutepov_YuYu@pers.spmi.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-3698-3072,
V.N. Kondakova1, Junior Researcher, e-mail: Kondakova_VN@pers.spmi.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-4883-7972,
1 Empress Catherine II Saint-Petersburg Mining University, Saint-Petersburg, Russia.

 

For contacts:

V.N. Kondakova, e-mail: Kondakova_VN@spmi.ru.

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