A Finite Element Approach of Stability Analysis of Internal Dump Slope in Wardha Valley Coal Field, India, Maharashtra

Dhananjai Verma¹, Ashutosh Kainthola^1, , S S Gupte¹ and T N Singh¹

¹Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India

Cite this paper:
Dhananjai Verma, Ashutosh Kainthola, S S Gupte and T N Singh. A Finite Element Approach of Stability Analysis of Internal Dump Slope in Wardha Valley Coal Field, India, Maharashtra. American Journal of Mining and Metallurgy. 2013; 1(1):1-6. doi: 10.12691/ajmm-1-1-1

Abstract

Designing of a stable overburden disposal slope is vital in large opencast coal mines. Spoil generated during extraction of coal which is dumped externally requires larger land to remain stable and also poses problems to surrounding environment due to limited land availability. This has lead to the preference of internal dumping in which the waste is dumped in de-coaled region which is beneficial during extraction and reclamation of mine. Internal dumping is also the most economical and environment friendly method of waste disposal and is being adopted everywhere. It has certain limitations and inherent dangers of failures posing operational and safety threats. In this paper, a numerical study for stability of 80 m high internal dump slopes from an opencast coal mine of Wardha Valley Coal Field, Maharashtra, India has been carried out using Finite Element Method (FEM). Different scenarios as per the dump heights have been accounted and simulated using Plaxis2D-8 to understand the failure mechanism and the changes in factor of safety with variation in bench height and the number of benches.

Keywords:
internal dump slope stability numerical modeling Coal Field

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Figures

References:

[1]	Gomez, P., Diaz, M., and Lorig, L., 2003, Stability analysis of waste dumps at Chuquicamata Mine, Chile: Gluckauf-Forschungshefte, v. 64, no. 3, 93-99.
[2]	Quine, R.L., 1993, Stability and deformation of mine waste dumps in north-central Nevada:M.S.thesis, University of Nevada, Reno
[3]	Singh, T.N. and Singh, D.P. (1992) Assessing Stability of voids in a Multi-seam Opencast Mining Block, Int. J. of Colliery Guardian, 240 (4),159-164.
[4]	Singh, T.N. Goyal, M. and Singh, D.P. (1994) Blast Casting Technique for Over Burden Removal, Ind. Min & Eng. J. 35(9), 21-26.
[5]	Khandelwal, M. and Singh, T.N. (2009) Prediction of blast-induced ground vibration using artificial neural network, Int. J. of Rock Mech. & Min Sci.,46(7), 1214-1222.
[6]	Upadhyay, O.P., Sharma, D.K., & Singh, D.P., 1990, Factors affecting stability of waste dumps in mines: International Journal of Surface Mining and Reclamation (4): 95-99.
[7]	Fellienius, W.(1927). Erdstatische Nerechnungen mit Reibung and Kohansion. Ernst, Berlin, 40pp.
[8]	Bishop, A.W., (1955). The use of the slip circle in the stability analysis of slopes. Geotechnique 5(1): 7-17.
[9]	Jambu, N.(1968).Slope stability computations. Soil mechanics and foundation engineering report, Technical University of Norway, Trondheim.
[10]	Spencer, E (1967). A methos of analysis of the stability of embankments assuming parallel interslices forces. Geotechnique 17(1): 11-26.
[11]	Matsui, T., and San, K. C., 1992, “Finite Element Slope Stability Analysis by Shear Strength Reduction Technique,” Soils and Foundations, 32 (1); 59-70.
[12]	Duncan, J. M., 1996, “State of the Art: Limit Equilibrium and Finite Element Analysis of Slopes,” Journal of Geotechnical Engineering, ASCE, 122 (7); 577-596.
[13]	Griffiths, D. V., and Lane, P. A., 1999, “Slope Stability Analysis by Finite Elements,” Geotechnique, 49(3) ;387-403.
[14]	Kainthola, A., Verma, D., Gupte, S.S. and Singh, T.N., (2011a). A Coal mine dump stability analysis – a case study, Int. Journal of Geomaterial. 1, 1-13.
[15]	Kainthola, A., Verma, D., Gupte, S.S. and Singh, T.N., (2011b). Analysis of failed dump slope using limit equilibrium approach, Mining Engineers Journal, .12(12) 28-32.
[16]	Kainthola, A., Verma, D., T. N. Singh, (2011c), Computational Analysis for the Stability of Black Cotton Soil Bench in an Open Cast Coal Mine in Wardha Valley Coal Field, Maharashtra, India, Int. J. Econ. Env.Geol. 2(1):11-18.
[17]	Monjezi M. and Singh T.N., 2000. Slope Instability in an Opencast Mine, Coal International, 45-147.
[18]	Kripamoy Sarkar, Sazid M., Khandelwal M., and Singh T. N., 2009. Stability analysis of soil slope in Luhri area, Himachal Pradesh, Mining Engineers Journal, 10(6), 21-27.
[19]	Singh T.N. and Monjezi M., 2000. Slope Stability Study in Jointed Rockmass - A Numerical Approach, Mining Engineering Jl., 1(10), 12-13.
[20]	Goodman R.E. and John C. St., 1977. Finite element analysis for discontinuous rock. In: C.S. Desai and J.T. Christian, Editors, Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering, Mc Graw Hill, New York. 148-175.
[21]	Rocscience Inc., 2004. Application of the Finite Element Method to Slope Stability, Toronto, 2-6.
[22]	ISRM, (1972). Suggested methods for determining water content, porosity, density, absorption and related properties and swelling and slake durability index properties. Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. Geomech.Abst.1-12.
[23]	ISRM, (1977). Suggested methods for determining the strength of rock materials in triaxial compression.Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. Geomech..15, 47-51.
[24]	ISRM, (1981). Rock characterization testing and monitoring, ISRM suggested method. Int. Soc. Rock Mech. 211.