3. Guidelines for preparation of Support Plan—Accidents due to fall of roof and side continue to be major problem in coal mines. An analysis of accidents due to fall of roof and sides during a three year period indicated that —a large number of accidents (about 45%) took place in freshly exposed roof areas; —the thickness of the fall was less than 50 em in 80% of the cases; —falls occurred in all types of roof. ixth conference on Safely in Mines recommended inter alia the formulation of Support Plan for each mine taking into account the local geological conditions, physico-mechanical properties of the strata, method of work, mechanization, past experience etc. To help enable the mining industry in drawing up the support plans properly and scientifically, the Director- General of Mines Safely had constituted an Expert Group in 1983 under the chairmanship of Shri K. Paul, the then Dy. Director-General of Mines Safely. The committee had submitted its report in 1989 which was sent to all chief executives of coal companies. Extracts from the report and the recommendations are being brought to the notice of all for implementation. Recommendations: A. Geomechanics Classification: Engineering classification approach being the only accepted way of qualitative and sem quantitative assessment of the roof conditions, this method should be adopted in all the mines. The geomechanical classification developéd by CMRS-ISM is applicable to Indian ground conditions. Any support plan should/irs sate the class of roof and the rock mass rating obtained from this approach, B. Support Systems: In general extended use of roof bo}fing as‘ method of support would have to become an integral part of future mining systen, Thfs\edn not only be installed early to support the green roof but also as an actiy is a distinctive edge vis-a-vis passive supports currently in use in coal mines. imn grouted bolts using quick-setting cement capsules appear ideal for most of the conditions prevailing in Indian mines. The recommendations, for the support system, both for bolting and alternative support-system in different geomining situations, are given in Table 1 & 2. The support plan should be based on these guidelines. In mining under shallow cover, however extra, care and caution needs to be exercised for application of roof bolting. While timber supports as per the Systematic Support Rules will continue to be used in conventional depillaring panels, the split galleries could be supported with roof bolts or rope dowels. Pit props and steel props should also find application in depillaring panels as replacement of timber props. Light duty hydraulic props should be useful in depillaring areas where the extraction height in less than 3.5 m. For greater height of extraction steel square chocks with wooden sleepers can be used. In mechanised depillaring panels using LHDs and SDLs, the original and split galleries should be supported 1 DGMS 27with roof bolts, The slices may also be supported with roof bolts and channels/w- straps, if necessary, except in such roofs where the potential of airblast exists In thick coal seams, if extraction is proposed using multiple slices in ascending order, use of cable bolts should be undertaken while working the bottom slice. Span of galleries plays a very important part in the stability of the roof. In the case of bad roofs, it is recommended that, apart from supporting the roof, the span should be minimised and formation of four way junctions avoided, where feasible. Table-1 Recommended support system for freshly exposed roof (Upto 10 m from the face) Roof Bolting systems Conventional supports description (class) Very poor The system of support roof (class indicated in Table 2 should Vv) be erected closely following the face. Poor Roof| (a) Point anchored (mechanica (class V1) grouted with quick setting r bolts for immediate tensi fully grouted soon a straps here necessary Tss—bars on steel chocks yydraulic props with Ininimum 5 Tone setting load. (b) Full column with, quick selling Fair Roof (a) Combination bélts as at (a) (a) Light duty (class II) above. hydraulic props. (b) Full column grouted bolts with | (%) Steel props quick setting grout. ; , 4 (©) Recoverable bolts. © feauon tS (d)__ Safari supports. Good Roof’ | (a)Recoverable bolts. (a) Steel props class II) (b) Full column grouted bolts. (b) Safari Supports Very good [No support except for roof bolting in roof (class I) | disturbed areas. DGMS 272Table-2 Recommended support system for other development working Roof description (class) Bolting systems Conventional suppor Very poor roof (class ” (a) Yielding steel arch under highest stress conditions (b) Rigid steel archs on moderate stress condition Poor roof (class vi) (a) Full column grouted bolts using quick setting grout supplement with steel channel /Aw- strap, for flaky roof wire mesh in addition (b) For temporary roadways_roof stitching alongwith ra@f botis ind westraps. (a) Rigid steel arch for roof with structural disturbances. Steel beam (200 mm * 100 mm) (b) set on brick wall for permanent road ways: (c) Steel bars set into pillars or on steel propes. Fair roof (class TIT) (a) Full\olurin grouted bolts using quidkAetting grout, (b) For temporary roadways roof stitching supplemented by roof bolting in distributed areas (a) Steel bars set into pillars or on steel propes for permanent roadways (b) Steel props for temporary roadways. Can also be used in permanent roadways Good roof (class I) (a) Full column grouted bolts for permanent roadways (b) Roof stitching with additional spot bolting in disturbed areas in permanent roadways Steel props for permanent roadway: Very good roof (class Dd No support except for roof bolting in distributed areas. DEMS 273. — 1. Grouted bolts also imply the use of cement capsules. 10 KN in 30 2. ‘Quick setting’ implies the development of an anchorage cap: minutes and about 50 KN in 2 hours. 3. Vertical supports should be set with minimum 5 Tonne setting load to prevent dislodgement due to blasting, y of at le 4, Very poor & 'poor' roof should be supported as soon as it has been exposed. Until such time these recommendations are implemented and some experience gained, roof boiling should not be the sole means of support in roadways which are more than 5 m in width. In scams liable to spalling from sides, bolting with or without side straps and stitching the sides should be the prime means of roof control. C. Specifications for Boiling systems All components of the roof bolt assembly should comply with the BIS specifications, wherever available. Generally speaking, the length of the bolt should be at least one-third of the width of the roadway. However, the length should normally be not less. than 1.5 m, For restricted height coupled bolts would have to be used. A 20-22 mm diameter bolt (ribbed bar) will meet the requirement in most cases. The bolting density for the three types of roof, where bolting has been recommended, will be as given below: (i) Poor : 1.2 to 1.5 bolts/sq.m. (ii) Fair: 1 bolt/sq.m. (iii) Good: 0.7 bolt/sq.m At junctions, the density should be increased, The bearing plates should be not less than 5m. The bolt angle should generally be ng side bolts may in certain cases be incl itwards, D. Requirements for Drilling of Holes To be effective the drilling of roof holes for bolting has to be mechanised using hydraulic or compressed air operated drilling machines. In case of high strength abrasive roof rocks, such as massive sand stone, high torque compressed air operated drill machines should be used. While wet drilling of the holes in stone is mandatory, for bolting this is additionally required to clear all the dust and ensure maximum bond strength between the strata and the bond materials. This is equally applicable in the case of coal. ‘equivalent area. -dding plane in rectangular roadways. The rib E. Monitoring of support performance With conventional free-standing supports, there are clear indications when they carry excessive load. Roof bolls, however, give no visual indication of load increase and therefore no indication of how close either the individual bolt or the system is to ultimate failure. Failure of bolted roof can be more rapid and more extensive and with less warning than the failures experienced with conventional supports. Systematic monitoring of roof boiled systems will, therefore, be seen to be essential, to assess the stability of the system and provide feedback which will allow future designs to be fine tuned. Monitoring can be divided into broad categories, namely, (a) Mesurement of boll performance—This is ascertained by anchorge capacity test (pull testing conducted on about 10% of the bolls installed. A minimum of 3 Tonnes anchorage strength should be achieved. DEMS 274(b) Measurement of strata behaviour—Stability of the roadway should be monitored using sag indicatiors, sag boll load cells, convergence recorders etc. For this purpose there should be a systematic plan of establishing monitoring stations both in active areas and in the permanent roadways outbye. Borehole extensometer for measuring strata dilation at different points along the roof may also be used where appropriate. It is desirable that a combination of monitoring techniques be used in order to provide meaningful result and differentiate between difficult loading condition. F. Training needs Roof bolting is a new concept to the workforce. It is, therefore, extremely important to make the workforce aware of the principles of bolting, the objectives and above all to give them confidence in the new system of roof support, For these reasons, both surface and underground training sessions are to be carried out. G. Implementation Strategy There should be a skilled roof bolting task force at the area level to check/guide installation work and monitor performance. To oversee the area level work, there should be a group of specialists at the corporate level. Apendix—I Different rock mass classification systems were discuss classification would be useful. and it was fell that CMRS—ISM The five parameters in this classification and thé importance rating are: Parameter alues 1. | Layer thickness | (em) 20- | 50 20 50, rating oO 6-12 | 13- 21- | 27- 20 |26 [30 Structural 2. | features (index) |>14 [at- [7-11 | 47 fod 14 rating |0-4 [5-10 |11- | 17. | 22- 16 [21 | 25 Weatherability 3 % <60 60. | 85- | 97 | >99 ee) rating [0-3 [4-8 [9-13 | 14 | 19- 17 20 ke! 100- 0 4 (kg/Sq. | <100 | 399 | 300- | 600- | >900 Strength of the | CS é00 | 900 rock 02 Rating 3-6 [7-10 |1- | 14 Dems 27513/15 Ground water | |, . 200- | 20- és 5 | seepage rate | l/min) | >2000 | 3090 | 200. | 0-20 | dry 2-4 Rating | 0-1 5-7 [8-9 | 10 The five parameter values for the classification should be determined individually for all the rock types in the roof, upto a height of alleast 2 m. 1. Layer thickness Spacing between the bedding planes or planes of iseontituities should be measured using borehole siratascope in a 2.0 m long drill hole made in\the roof. Alternatively, all bedding planes or fissile (weak) planes withing the roof strata céffNae\mtegsured in any roof exposure like a roof fall area, shaft section or cross measure gffft. Gore drilling should be attempted wherever feasible, and the core log can be used to évalydte ROD and layer thickness. Average of values should be taken and layer thickness.sfguld e expressed in cm. 2; Structural features Random geological mapping should\ bé carried out, and all the geological features (discontinuities, like joints, faults and™slips and sedimentary features like cross bedding, sandstone channels) should be carefully recorded. The relative orientation, spacing and degree of abundance for all these features should be noted. Their influence on gallery stability should be assessed, and the structural index for each feature should be determined from table below: Indices for parameter structural features 1, | Presence of Major faults 15 net desplacement >10 m displacement 2-10 5 m displacement <2m 2, _ | Presence of minor faults/slips 10 spacing : 5m 5 Orientation unfavourable Orientation not favourable 7 spacing :>5m 3 Orientation unfavourable Orientation not favourable Occurrence of joints and cleats Orientation | Orientation not un unfavourable | favourable DGMS 276(a) Minimum spacing 30 em 6 4 Single set 1 6 two sets 8 8 more than two sets (b) Minimum spacing >30 em 5 2 Single set 6 4 two sets. 6 6 more than two sets 4 _ | Sedimentary features 3 lateral thickness vari 6 sandstone channels 4 kettle bottoms 3 plant impressions 4 ball coal Index for structural features = sum of indices for individual features 3. Weatherability ISRM standard slake durability test should be conducted from the mine to determine the susceptibility of rocks t or the atmospheric moisture. For this test, weigh exac (the total weight should be between 450 and 500: water, and rotate it for 10 minutes at 20 rpm; ial retained in the drum and weigh it again, Weight percentage of material remaining afier te test is "the first eycle slake durability index. Mean of three such first cycle values should e taken. Core may be broken to obtain the samples 4 Rock strength Point load testis the standard index test fOpheasuring the strength of rocks in the field. Irregular samples having a ratio of 2: 1 for longer axis to shorter axis can be used for the test. The sample kept between the pointed platens and the load is applied gently but steadily. The load at failure (in kg.) divided by the square of the distance between the platens (in em) gives the point load index (I). The mean of the highest five values out of at least 10 sample tests should be taken, The compressive strength of the rocks can be obtained from the irregular lump. Find load index for Indian coal measure rocks by the relation— sh samples of roof rock collected failure on contact with water regular pieces of the sample jem in the test drum immersed in Ce = 14x I (in kg/cm’) 5. Groundwater A2 m long vertical hole should be drilled fe roof, and the water seeping through the hole after half an hour should be collected in a measuring cylinder. The average of three values from three different holes should be taken and expressed in ml. per minute, The ratings for the five parameters are given in Table 10. Rock Mass Rating (RMR) is the sum of the five parameter ratings. If there are more than one rock type, then the combined RMR is obtained as : DGMS 277(RMR of each bed x bed thickness) Combined RMR = ¥ (thickness of each bed ‘The RMR so obtained may be adjusted, if necessary, to account for some special situations in the mine like great depth. Figure below shows the flow chart for deriving the rock mass rating while Table II gives the value of adjustment factors. Procedure flow chart for deriving RMR ae works wT Divide the mine into areas “Eliminate extreme of similar geologicaVroo! ses contol problem, Tentty five locations ge enti roek unis in roof Ratings = Structural Layer thickness] Stake Point load index) Ground water features Index B urability (Ist | compressive | E 0-10 A 0-30 0-25 __| cycle) C-0-20 jswengih D 0-15} RMR AsBICHDHE Adjustment Depth Adjustments ‘Combined RMR for all (9 0 0%) tock units Lateral sues RMR for the whole area] adjustment —(0-20%) | | (anioimum of locations) Induced seress ? [adiusiment —(0 30%) ion | Extraction method ‘adjosiment (s10 to — | | et support system os) for each oea Gallery span ia Procedure flow chart adjustment (020%) timate rok load for deriving EMR. DGMS 27Table IT Adi ustment Factor for RMR 1, Depth Adjustment toRMR Adjusted RMR Less than 250 m nil RMR x 1.0 250 — 400 m 10% reduction RMR x 0.9 400 — 600 m 20% reduction RMR x 0.8 more than 600 m. 30% reduction a RMRX07 2. Lateral stresses Assumed stress amount Small 10% reduction RMR x 0.9 Moderate 20% reduction RMR x 0.8 High 30% reduction RMR x 0.7 3. Induced stresses No adjacent workings in the nil RMRx | same seam Extraction areas within 10% reduction RMR x 0.9 20-40 m in the same seam Extraction areas within 10- upto 30% seam reduction RMRx (0.7 to 0.8) 20 m in the same Working above with 10-20 10% reduction RMR x 0.7 m parting Working above with 3-10 upto 30% reduction RMR x 0.7 m parting 4. Method of excavation Continuous miner 10% increase x11 Undercut and blasting nil RMR x 1.0 5. Gallery span Less than 4.5 m, nil RMR x 0.8 45—6.0m 10-20 redi RMR x 0.8 On final RMR the roof is classified as— RMR, Roof class Roof description 0-20 v Very poor 20-40 IV Poor 40—60 U1 Fair 6080 ul Good 80—100 1 Very good An empirical relation obtained between RMR and rock loads is: Likely rock load in tonnes/m’span in m x mean rock density x (1.7—0.037 RMR + 0.0002 RMR°*) Example for Application of the Classification Immediate roof of seam is 0.6 to 0.7 m thick layered silty sandstone. The roof is uneven, and has innumerable plant impressions. Two sets of joints are mapped, the prominent one having a- trend 35°—215°, and the other at right angles to it. 2mm) and is more or less parallel to the dip rise galleries, the galleries are 3.6 m. The former set is an open joint set (aperture Point load index of the silty sandstone is 22.65 (irregular lump test) or compressive strength is 317 kg/em . Dry density of the rock is 2.215 t/m’. DGMS 279Parameter Value Rating 1,_| Layer thickness em UL 2._| Structural index (two joint sets) 6 7 3._| Weatherability (1 cycle slaking index) 89.7% 10 4._| Rock strength 317 kg/cm” 1 5._ | Groundwater seepage —dry— 10 RMR 55 The roof is classified as class III ‘Fair Roof * Expected rock load = rock density x gallery width x (1.7-0.037 RMR + 0.0002 x RMR¥) 3=2.215 x 3.6 x (1.7 - 04 = 0.0002 x 55 x 55) =2.15sq.m If roof bolting is to be effected, thestthe Boline€d to be installed correctly. To ensure correct, installation the following basic installation ts need to be adhered to: — (a) to prevent bed separation and dilétion the bolts should be installed as soon as the roof has been exposed, (b) the bolt holes should be drilled to the correct diameter and depth. While drilling, the bolting pattern should be adhered to as closely as possible. (c) Where fast and slow bonding materials are used together, it should be ensured that the fast capsules are inserted first. (©) The manufacturer's recommendation regarding mixing procedure (including time) and setting time should be closely followed. No tensioning should be provided before the prescribed setting time has been allowed. (d) It should be ensured that the specified drilling equipment is used correctly. (Cir. Tech. Sapicom 3/1993 & 6/1993) DGMS 280