Methodology for numerical modeling of stress fields in vicinities of coal mines

Underground mining of coal deposits intensifies dangerous geodynamic phenomena and processes at the local and regional levels. The risk of their development can be determined by assessing the stress state of the rock masses in the areas where coal mines are located. The article presents a methodology for numerical modeling of the stress fields in the areas of underground coal mining. The stress-and-strain state was modeled for a segment of the geological environment in vicinities of the city of Leninsk-Kuznetsky, where several large coal mines, e.g. the Kirov Mine, the Ruban Mine, the 7-th of November Mine and others, are operated. The stress calculations were made with the Finite Element Analysis using the COMSOL software suite. A map of tectonic faults in the Central Kuznetsk region was used as the computational model. The boundary conditions as well as the physical and mechanical properties of the model were defined on the basis of geological and geophysical surveys of the territory. As the result, the stress components were obtained and analyzed for the conditions before the beginning and upon completion of the coal deposit mining. © 2023, Scientific and Industrial company 'Gemos Ltd.'. All rights reserved.