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Subsidence

Subsidence is the reaction of the surface to the extraction of solids, fluids or gas in the
underground: settlements result from load, compaction from dynamic forces and
groundwater/gas withdrawal and consolidation from load and drainage, e.g. glacial.

This surface reaction is only in certain cases predictable and may happen slowly as well
as suddenly without any fore warning.

Table of contents of the AES1660-Subsidence course

R.F. Bekendam

1. Introduction (mining methods, types of underground extraction, types of surface

subsidence like trough subsidence and sinkhole formation and some examples,
consequences).
2. Subsidence over longwall coal mines and other total extraction works (modern and
ancient coal extraction methods, general principles of through subsidence,
components of trough subsidence, sub- and supercritical extraction, area of
influence, subsidence prediction by means of the NCB-method)
3. Influence functions (theory, prediction of trough subsidence, tilt and strain,
integration nets, computer models)
4. Reduction and prevention of surface subsidence (partial extraction techniques,
stowing, harmonic and semi-harmonic mining, pillar support, filling of openings, case
studies)
5. Subsidence from old mine workings (types of old mine workings, mechanisms of
subsidence development, upward cavity migration, arching, the bulking effect and
analytical methods to predict it for various configurations, time dependence, the role
of water, shafts, the effects of rising mine waters, empirical data.
6. Subsidence and stability of room and pillar mines (pillar stability, analytical
calculation methods, large-scale collapse, creep, arch effects, monitoring, the
limestone mines in South-Limburg as a case study)
7. Subsidence over salt mines and salt caverns (types of salt, salt behaviour,
convergence, stoping, monitoring, case studies)
8. Subsidence over oil, water and gas extractions (mechanisms, prediction, seismicity,
confined and unconfined aquifers, karst, monitoring, case studies, reduction of
subsidence, remedial measures)
9. Damage from subsidence (types of damage to various structures, factors of
importance, prediction, pseudo mining damage)
10. Prevention and reduction of damage (remedial measures, structural precautions,
foundation design)
11. Site investigation for subsidence areas
12. Natural subsidence
Table of contents of the AES1660 lecture notes

The lecture notes hereafter are part of a series of lecture notes produced by late
Prof D.G.Price and cover the following topics:

3. Subsidence due to longwall mining and other total extraction workings

3.1 General
3.2 Basic ground movements due to longwall mining
3.3 Parameters influencing mining subsidence
3.4 Geological disturbances
3.5 The effect of old workings
3.6 Prediction of subsidence due to longwall mining
3.7 Time effect

4. Working techniques to reduce of prevent subsidence

4.1 Harmonic and semi-harmonic mining
4.2 Stowing
4.3 Partial extraction
4.4 Subsidence prevention

5. Subsidence due to the pumping out of oil water and gas

5.1 General
5.2 Methods of measuring subsidence
5.3 Subsidence prediction
5.4 Seismicity
5.5 Groundwater Extraction
5.6 Example of water withdrawal subsidence
5.7 Example of oil withdrawal subsidence, Wilmington Oil field, Long Beach,
California
5.8 An example of gas withdrawal subsidence, the Groningen gasfield

6. Reduction of subsidence from oil, gas or groundwater withdrawal

6.1 General
6.2 Example of fluid injection

7. Damage resulting from subsidence

7.1 General
7.2 Types of damage
7.3 Damage to structures

8. Prevention of damage
8.1 General
8.2 Remedial measures for existing works
8.3 Methods to prevent damage
8.4 Structural precautions in new structures
9. Mining subsidence resulting from old mine workings
9.1 Bell Pits
9.2 Room and pillar workings
9.3 Roof behaviour
9.4 Floor behaviour
9.5 Pillar behaviour

10. Foundation design in undermined areas

10.1 Standard foundation on Coal Measure rocks
10.2 Foundations over mined areas

11. Site investigations for subsidence areas

11.1 General
11.2 Detection of old mine workings
11.3 Investigation techniques
11.4 Detection of old mine shafts
11.5 Design of investigations

References

Handout VI Methods of subsidence prediction

Handout VII Stoping in weak rock over salt solution cavities in the
Hengelo field, The Netherlands, and its expression in terms
of surface subsidence.
R.F.Bekendam

Prediction of time-dependent subsidence, tilt and horizontal

strain over upwards migrated salt solution cavities.
T.F. Bekendam, C. Oldenziel & W.A. Paar

Exercise 1: Mining subsidence

Exercise 2: Mine pillar stability

Exercise 3: Subsidence in La Republica de Plata