GIS Supported Evaluation of Surface Level Impacts Due to Abandoned Near–Surface Mine Locations

摘要

Surface fractures in urbanized areas show the risk potential ofnear-surface mining. This kind of mining subsidence damageoccurs mainly in areas where hard coal was mined near the surfacewith very little overlying rock strata. In North Rhine-Westphalia(NRW), the mining authorities assess areas that are at risk for caveinsby means of envelopes constructed according to Hollmann andNürenberg (1972). Drafting abandoned underground structuresdepends on the assessment of historical documents such as mineplans, mine titles, and operation plans of prior mines in this area.A research and development project establishing a comprehensiveGeo Information System (GIS) for hazard prevention wasundertaken in cooperation with the mining authorities of NRW.It aims to display the areas endangered by abandoned, shallowunderground mines for the purpose of hazard prevention. Atool was programmed using ArcGIS as a result of this project. Itis used to digitize underground workings from preserved mineplans, calculate outcrop lines of coal seams and display hazardousareas. In the future, a database of shallow mine workings will beestablished. The tool will be used for a systematical mapping ofshallow workings and assessment of endangered areas.