Post-Critical Mechanical Properties Of Sedimentary Rocks In The Upper Silesian Coal Basin (Poland)

Abstract

AbstractIn this paper, we present the results of a study of the Upper Carboniferous sedimentary rocks of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB) in Poland. We examined the hard coals, which belong to various stratigraphic units of Upper Carboniferous coal-bearing strata, and waste rocks, i.e., sandstones, mudstones, claystones. We present the results of tests of their post-critical mechanical properties. These results are from tests of the post-critical modulus, residual stress and residual deformation from experiments using a servo-controlled testing machine (MTS) with uniaxial compression and conventional triaxial compression. We applied confining pressures of up to 50 MPa at a strain rate of 10−5− 10−1s−1(0.003-6.0 mm/sec). The confining pressure applied in the triaxial compression tests reflected the conditions of current and future mining activities in the USCB at depths exceeding 1.300 metres. The strain rate applied in the tests reflected the values observed in the rockmass surrounding the mine workings and the rate of certain geodynamic phenomena occurring in the Carboniferous rockmass in the USCB, e.g., rock bursts. We present the values of the sub-critical modulus of coals and waste rocks, the functional relationships between the post-critical modulus and uniaxial compression strength, which are described using an exponential function of high correlation coefficients of the given rocks, and an exponential relationship between the post-critical modulus and the longitudinal elasticity modulus (Young’s modulus). Based on the results of tests of the post-critical properties of the Carboniferous rocks under triaxial compression and at various strain rates, we devised the functional relationships between the properties of the rocks and the confining pressure. The dependence of the post-critical modulus of the sandstones and claystones on the confining pressure is described using a polynomial function of degree 2, and that of the coals is described using an exponential function. The relationship between the residual stress and residual deformation in the rocks and the confining pressure was described using a linear function. The obtained results of tests have a practical application in forecasting behaviour of rocks located deep, and designing safe exploitation of mineral deposits. Confining pressures of up to 50 MPa used in the conventional triaxial compression tests allowed us to predict the behaviour of the rock mass at large depths. These data provide general knowledge of the tendencies in behaviour of rocks at substantial depths and the ability to design safe methods of mining deposits of various raw materials, including energy sources. These deposits are mined from increasingly great depths as the reserves are gradually exhausted and collieries of the largest European coal basins are continuously reconfigured.