Rockburst prevention via destress blasting of competent roof rocks in hard coal longwall mining

摘要

Although the application of destress blasting as an active rockburst mitigation measure is not yet commonplace in hard coal longwall mining, the method is assuming heightened importance due to increases in mining depth and high horizontal stresses in the rock mass. The main goals of destress blasting are the softening of competent rock layers, the reduction of strain energy storage, and rock mass stress release, which together contribute to minimizing rockburst occurrence and risk. One such region in which destress blasting in competent rock is applied is the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, mainly in its Czech part.Here a case study of destress blasting is presented and evaluated in terms of rockburst prevention, focusing on a thick coal seam (about 5 m) subject to longwall mining under very unfavourable geomechanical conditions (great depth -1200 m, competent rigid rocks between coal seams, unfavourable stress field due to long-term mining). Destress blasting stages were carried out in groups of between four and eight boreholes 95 mm in diameter, with the total explosive charge ranging from 2100 kg to 3750 kg, detonated regularly at distances of 43 m to 114 m ahead of the advancing longwall face. Evaluation of destress blasting based on seismic monitoring revealed that the longwall blasts were very successful in terms of rock mass stress release and decreasing the rockburst risk, with only one rockburst occurring on a roadway 210 m from the longwall face. The following longwall section was mined safely without rockburst occurrence.