Disaster-Causing Mechanism of Hidden Disaster-Causing Factors of Major and Extraordinarily Serious Gas Explosion Accidents in Coal Mine Goafs

Abstract

Hidden disaster-causing factors (HDCFs) in coal mines can be identified via the rerefinement and classification of disaster-causing factors (DCFs) in coal mines. The study of the disaster-causing mechanism of accidents from the perspective of HDCFs in coal mines could be helpful to analyze the accident occurrence process from a new perspective, and new ideas for accident prevention and control could then be proposed. To clarify the disaster-causing mechanism of HDCFs of major and extraordinarily serious gas explosion accidents (MESGEAs) in coal mine goafs, 32 MESGEAs in coal mine goafs in China from 2000 to 2021 were adopted as a data source. By redefining the definition, connotation and characteristics of HDCFs in coal mines, 10 HDCFs were identified. Consequently, an improved decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL)-interpretive structural model (ISM)-matrix of cross impact multiplications applied to classification (MICMAC) model was used to comprehensively analyze HDCFs in 3 aspects, including the centrality and cause degrees, hierarchical structure, and driving and dependence powers, from a completely objective perspective. The results demonstrated that (1) the considered MESGEAs in coal mine goafs were caused by DCFs in the management aspect by affecting the DCFs in the 3 aspects of human factors, equipment and environment, as well as under the combined effect of DCFs internal interaction contained in itself. (2) There were 2 types of disaster-causing mechanisms of HDCFs of MESGEAs in coal mine goafs: (a) the indirect disaster-causing by HDCFs in the management aspect and (b) the random coupling disaster-causing by HDCFs in human factors, equipment and environment 3 aspects.