Two and three dimensional analysis of a slope failure in a lignite mine

2011-02-01
With about 9.3 billion tons of reserve, lignite is a major source for energy production in Turkey. The Afsin-Elbistan lignite basin, containing 47% of the overall lignite reserve in Turkey, lies in the Afsin and Elbistan districts as a part of Kahramanmaras. The new Collolar opencast mine is in the Afsin-Elbistan lignite basin, and this mine will be the second mining activity in the basin after the active Kislakoy opencast mine. The new mine will meet the coal consumption of the Elbistan B power plant. Input parameters for slope stability analysis are essential, and so they must be determined accurately and precisely. Field investigations, laboratory testing and back analyses are vital instruments for the input parameters. This study presents the results of slope stability analysis via finite difference code and a limit equilibrium software for the soil slopes of the Elbistan-collolar lignite mine. The basic input parameters, cohesion and friction angle, were determined in the soil mechanics laboratory. By back analyses of a large scale slope failure, mobilized friction angles for a critical weak clay layer under the lignite seam were determined accurately by using the 2D limit equilibrium method and 3D finite difference models. Results of the friction angles were compared in order to check the effectiveness of commonly used 2D approaches in handling the slope problems. Differences in the results of the mobilized friction angles for the weak clay layer were more than 30%. The 3D models indicated that the mobilized friction angle during the major slope failure was substantially lower than the friction angle generated by the 2D limit equilibrium method.
COMPUTERS & GEOSCIENCES

Suggestions

Investigation of Large Scale Slope Failure Mechanisms and Numerical Modeling for the Safe Design of Slopes in a Lignite Mine
Tutluoglu, LEVEND; Karpuz, Celal (2008-07-24)
With about 9.3 billion tons of reserve, lignite is a major source for energy production in Turkey. Turkish Coal Enterprises (TKI) produces about 60% of the yearly lignite production capacity. Can Surface Lignite Mine which is planned to produce approximately 2.5 million tons of 3000 kcal/kg coal, will be one of the main production areas of TKI. Possibility of large scale slope failures and their negative effects on mining operations in large Can Lignite Surface Mine on the northwestern Turkey were the major...
The analysis of total factor efficiency in the public lignite mining organizations in turkey
Çimen, Selahattin; Güyagüler, Tevfik; Department of Mining Engineering (2011)
In recent years, the risks created by the import of energy on the security of energy supply has encouraged countries to utilize local resources to a greater extend, and for many countries including Turkey coal is at the top of the local resources. However, it is not sufficient for countries to have an energy resource itself. Intens competition in today's globalized system requires the resources to be produced and utilized in the most economical manner. The supply of the resources to the market in a competit...
STABILITY AND FAILURE ANALYSIS OF EXCAVATIONS USED FOR UNDERGROUND MINING OF BATI RAMAN OIL FIELD
Emci, Mehmet Emircan; Öztürk, Hasan; Department of Mining Engineering (2021-11-8)
Batı Raman holds the Turkey's proven largest oil reserve (1.85 billion barrels). The reserve is located at an average depth of 1450 m within a fractured limestone. This heavy oil has a 12° API gravity and a viscosity of 200-2000 cp. A future plan for this reserve is to use a "mining assisted heavy oil production" method. The idea behind this method is to reach the reserve by a decline from the surface and continue opening up galleries beneath the reserve from which fan shape up holes will be drilled in the ...
A comparative study on energy income estimation: A case study in Turkey
AK, MÜMTAZ; Yanmaz, Ali Melih; Kentel Erdoğan, Elçin (2014-10-01)
Hydropower is the main domestic energy resource of Turkey. The total gross and the economically feasible hydropower potentials of Turkey are estimated as 433 TWh/yr and 127 TWh/yr, respectively, by the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSI) of the Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs.(1) Approximately 35% of the economically feasible hydropower potential is currently being utilized. The government accelerated the development of the unused potential by enabling the private sector to build and o...
Modeling of gas demand using degree-day concept: Case study for Ankara
Gumrah, F; Katircioglu, D; Aykan, Y; Okumus, S; Kilincer, N (2001-02-01)
The demand for natural gas is rapidly increasing in Turkey as it is in the rest of the world. However, natural gas reserves and production are rather limited in Turkey. The bulk of the Turkish gets demand is met by imports. Russia currently accounts for 69% of Turkey's gas supplies. Physical shortages might occur; supplies for industrial production and household consumption could temporarily run short. Also, fluctuations in consumption might occur due to climatic reasons or peak daily industrial energy dema...
Citation Formats
L. Tutluoğlu and C. Karpuz, “Two and three dimensional analysis of a slope failure in a lignite mine,” COMPUTERS & GEOSCIENCES, pp. 232–240, 2011, Accessed: 00, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://hdl.handle.net/11511/39123.