Department of Extraction Technologies, Rockbursts and Risk Assessment

DEPARTMENT OF EXTRACTION TECHNOLOGIES, ROCKBURSTS AND RISK ASSESSMENT

Plac Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland

 

Head of Depertment

dr inż. Sylwester Rajwa
e-mail: srajwa@gig.eu
telefon: 32 259 24 10

 

 

 

LABORATORY OF ROAD SUPPORT DESIGN AND MINE WORKINGS MAINTENANCE

Head

dr hab. inż. Marek Rotkegel
e-mail: mrotkegel@gig.eu
telefon: 32 259 24 89

 

 

 

LABORATORY OF SUPPORT SELECTION FOR EXTRACTION MINE WORKINGS

Head

dr inż. Andrzej Walentek
e-mail: awalentek@gig.eu
telefon: 32 259 24 29

 

 

 

LABORATORY OF UNDERGROUND ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION

Head

dr inż. Jan Szymała
e-mail: jszymala@gig.eu
telefon: 32 259 24 06

 

 

 

LABORATORY OF ROCKBURST AND ROCK MECHANICS

Head

dr hab. inż. Janusz Makówka
e-mail: jmakowka@gig.eu
telefon: 32 259 23 01

 

 

 

LABORATORY OF RISK ASSESSMENT AND INDUSTRIAL SAFETY

Head

dr hab. inż. Alicja Krzemień
e-mail: akrzemien@gig.eu
telefon: 32 259 25 56

 

 

  • design of the support of roadway connections,
  • design of large-size roadway support (functional, chamber),
  • evaluation of the state of the roadway supports,
  • evaluation of the degree of corrosion of the support and estimating the load bearing capacity of the corroded support,
  • design and optimization of supports (arches, shackles and accessories) used in specific conditions,
  • sesign and selection of supports for opening and preparatory excavations (drifts, longwall cross-cuts, main gates, ramps, dip headings),
  • design and selection of shotcrete supports.

 

  • project of cutting a coal deposit batch with all natural hazards taken into account,
  • assessment of effective and economical extraction of a hard coal deposit with a longwall or alternative system,
  • preparation of due diligence technical and environmental reports,
  • design and selection of support reinforcement, adapted to the conditions occurring in underground mines,
  • selection of shield and individual support for the mining-geological conditions of longwall mining,
  • determination of the interaction capabilities of different types of supports in one longwall working,
  • defining the conditions of work of the shield support in areas of rock burst hazard occurrence,
  • evaluation of the degree of the caving gobs reconsolidation and the determination of the conditions of the operation of layers residing beneath,
  • forecasting the convergence and loading of gateroads,
  • design and selection of chock and rock bolt support and independent rock bolt support,
  • design and selection of maintenance methods for galleries located within the mining face,
  • introscope tests of drilling holes,
  • in situ tests of rock mass strength with a hydraulic penetrometer,
  • modelling the impact of underground mining on the stability of slopes and embankments,
  • trainings, instructions, lectures on the correctness of roof management in caving longwalls and cooperation between the roof and longwall support with the rock mass.

 

  • design of methods of liquidating shafts in different mining conditions; design of the technology of securing deposits in liquidated mines,
  • selection and optimization of the construction of roadside packs,
  • strength analysis of constructions used in the mining industry,
  • and special supports,
  • studies on the technical condition of vertical workings using video techniques,
  • studies of the technical condition of vertical workings using rope access techniques (climbing techniques),
  • examination of the quality of the bonding (bonding continuity) of mining anchors with non-destructive methods,
  • design and selection of historic excavations and buildings,
  • design of shaft and pit support.

 

  • assessment of the state of associated hazards,
  • selection of prevention for the conduct of work in the conditions of the associated hazards,
  • ad hoc consultations on the issues of associated hazards,
  • the forecast and assessment of seismic hazard and of bursts of mining workings,
  • rock mass quality assessment in terms of geomechanics and rock burst hazards with the application of empirical-analytical index methods,
  • rock mass burst tendency assessment,
  • analytical evaluation of stresses in the seam and surrounding rocks,
  • analysis of the eligibility of seams(deposits) or their parts to the respective degrees of rock burst hazard,
  • development of complex (technical) projects for the exploitation of rockburst-threatened seams,
  • assessment of the risk of conducting mining works in rock burst hazard conditions,
  • selection of immediate (active) and long-term (passive) rock burst prevention methods,
  • designing directional hydraulic fracturing and directional blast-enhanced fracturing as methods for rock blast prevention and working protection against excess static loads in hard coal and copper ore mines,
  • consultations on the conduct of works under the conditions of particular rock burst hazards,
  • techniques and technologies for the modification of the properties of minerals (coal, metal ores, raw rock materials) and of rock mass for improving the safety and efficiency of operation (e.g. fracturing with hydraulic and blasting techniques),
  • coal deposit destressing by means of water jet cutting in order to decrease the state of stress and increase gas permeability,
  • designation of basic geo-mechanical rock mass characteristics (component states of primary and pseudo-primary stresses),
  • determining basic rock mass geomechanical properties (components of geostatic stresses and combined geostatic and mining-induced stresses) using hydraulic methods (microfrac) and the overcoring method,
  • engineering techniques and technologies to secure the protected underground environment (caves, historic objects, etc.),
  • examination of the range of the fracture zone of a rock mass surrounding a working using the aerometric method,
  • in situ testing of the permeability of coal deposits and rock strata using the hydraulic method (slug test).

 

Our Laboratory provides as follows:

- assessment of the process risk with HAZOP, FMEA, FTA and ETA methods;
- assessment of the possibility of a breakdown or an accident;
- assessment of the environmental risk – the assessment of the impact of the project on the environment;
- assessment of the occupational risk – identification of hazards to the human health and life;
- research on the safe conduct of production processes and new industrial technologies;
- cooperation with the industry in the areas related to the safety of production and work and environmental protection;
- development of "Explosion safety document" meeting the requirements of ATEX 94/9/EC Directive and 1999/92/EC Directive. The "Explosion safety document" confirms that the requirements concerning plant security are met and the actions that will adapt the working conditions in places of work and workstations which may be exposed to explosive atmosphere, are determined.

In Polish legislature, these requirements are laid down in:
- Regulation of the Minister of Economy of 8 July 2010 on the minimum work safety and hygiene requirements in relation to the possibility of occurrence of potentially explosive atmospheres at the workplace. Journal of laws No. 138, item 931 (Dz. U. Nr 138 poz. 931).
- Regulation of the Minister of Development of 6 June 2016 on the requirements for the equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres (Polish Journal of Laws 2016, No. 0, item 817).
- Regulation of the Minister of Interior and Administration of 7 June 2010 on the fire protection of buildings, other buildings and areas, Journal of Laws No. 109 Item 719 (Dz. U. Nr 109, poz. 719).
 

 

+ 48-32-259-2000