7th BALKANMINE CONGRESS – Proceedings, Prijedor 2017

DOI: 10.7251/BMC170702247I

INTERACTION OF MINESAND SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT

Nevad IKANOVIĆ1, Amira ŠVRAKA1, Edin LAPANDIĆ1, Sabid ZEKAN2

1
Elektroprivreda BiH, Sarajevo, nevad.ikanovic@epbih.ba; am.svraka@epbih.ba; e.lapandic@epbih.ba
2
University of Tuzla, The Faculty of Mining, Geology and Civil Engineering, sabid.zekan@untz.ba

ABSTRACT

Landscape as a natural composite of soils, rocks and plants together with artificial impacts is very
destroyed around mining locations. However, mining companies has to rebuild landscape after
miningoperations; it is not possible in practice. The most significant artificial impact is subsidence. It
is a three-dimensional displacement of surface massif above the underground mine. As a result of this
displacement, the compressive and tensile deformations occur in the massif. On the terrain surface, the
foundation structure, more rigid than soil, is exposed to significantly larger stress due to deformations
in the soil. The intensity of the stress depends on rigidity of both, the surrounding soil and the
structure.
Soil-structure interaction in mining landscapes is not always depended of subsidence. It is very often
pseudo-mining damages on structures. But, in subsidence processes of a massif, foundation structure is
exposed to passive pressures of soil, whose course of action depends on type of soil deformation. The
foundation structure is elongated by tensile deformation of soil. Also, in other zone, the other
foundation structure is pressed by compressive deformation of soil. In addition, type of foundation
structure and soil’s geotechnical parameters affect the intensity of passive pressures.
On the other side, open pits impacts to structures with decomposition of natural stress state. Landslides
around open pits and soil deformation impacts to rigid structures by passive pressures.
For instance,the cause of damage may be landslide, poorly executed building construction, earthquake,
etc.The most difficult task is to distinguish the mining from pseudo-mining damage.

Key words: landscape, subsidence, interaction, foundation.

1. INTRODUCTION

Underground and aboveground mining causes strata movement and subsidence valley occurs
at terrain above or around mine location. Hollows, trenches, cracks and abrupt steps are
formed in a landscape. Mining subsidence can make damages to buildings, roads,
infrastructure facilities and agriculture fields. Damages are the result of ground displacement,
horizontal deformations and differential subsidence or tilt.
When there are important facilities, such as roads, industrial and residential buildings, on the
surface, the protective pillars must be left underground. Protective poles are part of the rock
mass and they are not subject to displacement due to ore exploitation. They are placed under
the object that needs to be protected. However, when mine does not want to ensure the

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facilities by protective pillars, the subsidence damages will occur on the ground surface in the
form of cracks or completely demolished buildings. The major damagesoccur on poorlyrigid
structure, masonry structure, large and high buildings, buildings with improper foundations
and line structures. Damage to buildings is the result of the relative movement of object and
ground. The difference in the ground and building's rigidity leads to different
deformations.[1,2,4]
Movement of rock massif generates tensile or compressive deformationsin the
subsidencevalley.

Figures 1,2 Underground and aboveground surrounding process in mining areas

2. SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION IN SURROUNDING MINING SURFACE

Secondary stress state as a mining impact to surrounding space produces deformations and
displacements into massif. Structure as a solid bodycannot be deformed as surrounding soil.
Subsidence process impacts the objects via horizontal and vertical deformations in soil mass.
In general, foundations of all artificial structures cannot be deformed same as soil can. Soil
has an impact on structures with its passive pressures, friction forces and eccentric gravity
forces.

Figures 3., 4.: Movement of object and deformations on subsidence terrain [3]

There are four basic parameters of subsidence: vertical movement, horizontal deformations
(tension and compression), tilt or differential subsidence, curve or differential tilt. On the
pictures 5-8 is presented some kinds of soil deformation as a subsidence process.

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Figures 5.,6. Compression (left) and tension (right) deformations, salt mine (Tuzla, B&H) [4]

Figures 7.,8. Compression (salt mine, Tuzla), tension (coal mine, Tuzla)[4]

Amodel of foundation structure in the area of terrain subsidence, described in this paper,
consists of two main straps and one beam. Horizontal deformations were initiated, while the
vertical movements were equal to zero. Values of passive pressures were obtained for
different amounts of horizontal deformations. The tensile and compression deformations were
observed in the intensity of 2.4, 4.0, 6.0 i 12.0 mm/m. It has been concluded that when there
are tension deformations in soil, passive pressures and friction forces occur on the inner
surface of the foundation structure. On the other hand, when there are compression
deformations in soil, passive pressures and friction forces occur on the outer surface of the
foundation structure.

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Figures 9. Modelling of foundation structure in tension deformations of soil, [2]

3. PSEUDO-MINING DAMAGES

Pseudo-mining damages are those which appeared in surrounding mining surface but
originated from other or non-mining impacts. In this regard, most often it comes to litigation
between the owner and the mine. The cause of structure’s damage needs to be determined by
judicial expertise based on professional opinion.
There are other works that may be performed in the exploitation field zone that may cause
damage on building’s structure with out owner’s or mine’s guilt. Such works or effects may
be: road, tunnel or bridge construction, local infrastructure, reclamation works, cutting of
forest vegetation, artificial water reservoirs, landfillsof ash from thermal power plants,
garbage or earth, water-flow regulation, military exercises or war activities, fires, unplanned
buildings construction, etc. These phenomena usually occur in non-urban areas, without urban
plans due to war and crisis conditions, or lawlessness in general and public services non-
functioning. The construction of poor residual settlements, erected without planning and with
low quality building material should be particularly emphasized. [1,2,4]

Figure 10. False-mining damages [1]

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In regard to time, false mining damages may occur suddenly or gradually. The influence that
causes damage may last a shorter or longer period of time or it may change its intensity in
periodic cycles. For example, structures near the river banks, especially if with foundations
built on incoherent and permeable soil, are exposed to the periodic raising and lowering of the
water level. Lifting and lowering of the water level depends on the seasons and water inflow.
Also, the river banks are very exposed to erosion, and may undercutthe foundation.

4. STRESS-STRAIN RELATIONS BY SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTION

Foundation structure as a concrete material is more rigid than soil and can’t deform as soil.
Compression and tension deformation in soil and rigid concrete over the soil was simulated.
There were interface elements between the foundation and soil. Interface elements have a role
to simulate sliding of one body over second body.

Figure 11. Passive pressure exposed to foundation structure[4]

The intensity of passive pressures depends on foundation depth and soil strength. Passive
pressures increase with an increase of depth and soil strength. The intensity of friction forces
depends on vertical load to the foundation joint and the internal friction angle of concrete and
soil.
Passive pressures in coherent soil by Rankine:

Ep   hk p  2c k p (kN / m 2 )

Based on Rankine's theory, passive pressures significantly increase with an increase in soil’s
depth and cohesion. Therefore, it is preferable to use shallow foundations, structures in
smaller dimensions and regularly shaped foundations. [4]

5. CONCLUSION

Mining operations in underground mines or open pits can produce secondary stress state in a
surrounding landscape. Especially, by underground mining, subsidence can be occurred.
Subsidencemay cause damages to buildings, roads, infrastructure objects and agriculture
fields. There are false mining damages resulting from non-mining activities. For instance, the
cause of damage may be landslide, poorly executed building construction, earthquake, etc.
The most difficult task is to distinguish the mining from false mining damage.

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It has been revealed that when there are tension deformations in soil, passive pressures and
friction forces occur on the inner surface of the foundation structure. On the other hand, when
there are compression deformations in soil, passive pressures and friction forces occur on the
outer surface of the foundation structure. Research has proved few rules that should be
applied in the case of construction of new buildings' foundations or reconstruction:
a) small and simple, stiff structures are more resistant to deformation in the subsidence
base,
b) high buildings are not favourable because of the tilt,
c) long objects can be placed on the terraces, between parallel tension cracks,
d) in the case of weak soil, mat-slab foundations construction is recommended, with
material replacement,
e) piles foundations construction is not recommended,
f) in order to reduce passive pressures, cohesive soil should be replaced with non-
cohesive fine grain sand, with small friction angle and cohesion equals zero,
g) large-scale and complex structures should be built with dilatations.

REFERENCES

[1] Kratzsch H., (1983). Mining Subsidence Engineering, Berlin, Springer-Verlag;

[2] Zekan S. (2011). Slijeganje terena,Tuzla, Faculty of Mining, Geology and Civil Engineering, Bosnia
and Herzegovina;
[3] Zekan S., Stević M., Hamzabegović A., (2009). Foundation design on mining subsidence terrain,
Dubrovnik-Cavtat, Croatia, EUROCK 2009;
[4] Zekan S., Salković S., Baraković A., Hodžić M., Ribić N., Ikanović N. (2017) Geomechanical tools in
planning, design and mining operations, Sankt Petersburg, Proceedings, Saint Petersburg Mining
University.

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