Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Dynamic failure is the name used to refer to a dangerous type of ground failure occurring in underground mines that result in mine worker injury in greater than 60% of cases reported to the Mining Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). The petrographic and geochemical composition of coal has implications for both the material properties of the mined seam and stratigraphic risk factors for dynamic failure. This research project aims to concisely define those correlations and use them as the basis for an early-hazard identification system for underground coal mines.