The land surface deformation caused by the liquidation of the Anna mine by flooding

Abstract

The most worldwide method of liquidating underground hard coal mines is by spontaneous flooding as the result of the discontinuation of the rock mass drainage. Due to the hydrological reconstruction of the previously disturbed water system by mining operations, the movements of the rock mass with the opposite direction than subsidence appear. These movements are called rock mass uplift. This paper aims to present possible hazards related to land surface objects and the environment, which can appear during the flooding of the underground mine. The issue of proper forecasting of this phenomenon has so far been marginal in world literature. To date, only a few analytical methods have been used to predict the possible effects of surface deformation. Nowadays, the most common analytical method of forecasting surface deformation caused by the liquidation of underground workings by flooding is Sroka’s method. In this paper, the authors have presented analyses of flooding scenarios developed for a Polish mine and their impact on the land surface as well as the environment. The scenarios presented in the manuscript were selected for analysis as the most probable concerning the mine and the future plans of the mining enterprise. The process of flooding coal mines results in several risks for surface objects and underground infrastructure. This is why the uplift caused by the flooding of the mine should be predicted. The resulting uplifting movements can also, apart continuous deformation lead to the creation of much more dangerous phenomena involving discontinuous deformations.

Keywords

• mine closure
• mine flooding
• land surface uplift
• flooding scenarios
• prediction