Engineering Commons^™

Predicting The Dynamic Behavior Of Coal Mine Tailings Using State-Of-Practice Geotechnical Field Methods, Ali Salehian

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

This study is focused on developing a method to predict the dynamic behavior of mine tailings dams under earthquake loading. Tailings dams are a by-product of coal mining and processing activities. Mine tailings impoundments are prone to instability and failure under seismic loading as a result of the mechanical behavior of the tailings. Due to the existence of potential seismic sources in close proximity to the coal mining regions in the United States, it is necessary to assess the post-earthquake stability of these tailings dams.

To develop the aforementioned methodology, 34 cyclic triaxial tests along with vane shear tests were …

Extension Of Thickness-Dependent Dielectric Breakdown Law On Adiabatically Compressed Ferroelectric Materials, S. I. Shkuratov, Jason Baird, E. F. Talantsev

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

It is experimentally found that the E_b(d) = γ  · d ^-ξ law describing the thickness-dependent breakdown electric field for solid dielectrics at ambient conditions can be extended for dielectrics in other thermodynamic states. It follows from the experimental results reported herein that the breakdown field, E_b(d), of Pb(Zr₀.₉₅Ti₀.₀₅)O₃ (PZT 95/5) and Pb(Zr₀.₅₂Ti₀.₄₈)O₃ (PZT 52/48) ferroelectrics subjected to explosive adiabatic compression obeys the above-mentioned law in a wide range of voltages, up to 150 kV.

A Review Of Pharmaceuticals And Endocrine-Disrupting Compounds: Sources, Effects, Removal, And Detections, Jimoh O. Tijani, Ojo O. Fatoba, Leslie F. Petrik

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

There are growing concerns about the increasing trends of emerging micropollutants in the environment due to their potential negative impacts on natural ecosystems and humans. This has attracted attention from both governmental and non-governmental organizations worldwide. Pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and endocrine disruptors are continuously being released consciously or unconsciously into water sources due to poor regulatory frameworks especially in the developing countries. The effects of these contaminants are poorly known. They are not easily biodegradable and have become an environmental nuisance and public health issue. This has heightened the risk of exposure to their deleterious effects in such countries …

Development Of 15 Psi Safe Haven Polycarbonate Walls For Use In Underground Coal Mines, Rex Allen Meyr Jr.

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Following three major mining accidents in 2006, the MINER Act of 2006 was enacted by MSHA and required every underground coal mine to install refuge alternatives to help prevent future fatalities of trapped miners in the event of a disaster. The following research was performed in response to NIOSH’s call for the investigation into new refuge alternatives. A 15 psi safe haven polycarbonate wall for use in underground coal mines was designed and modeled using finite element modeling in ANSYS Explicit Dynamics. The successful design was tested multiple times in both half-scale and small scale using a high explosive shock …

Experimental Comparison Study Of The Response Of Polycarbonate And Laminated Glass Blast Resistant Glazing Systems To Blast Loading, Joshua Calnan

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

This thesis recounts the experimental study of the dynamic response of polycarbonate blast resistant glazing systems to explosive loading through the use of triaxial load cells, pressure sensors, and a laser displacement gauge. This instrumentation captured the response of the glazing systems to blast loading over three phases of testing. The first phase of testing characterizes the load distribution around the perimeter and the second phase examines the repeatability of the results. The final phase of testing pushes the samples to failure. The results are then compared to HazL, a commonly used blast resistant glazing system analysis software tool. The …

Modeling Of An Air-Based Density Separator, Tathagata Ghosh

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

There is a lack of fundamental studies by means of state of the art numerical and scale modeling techniques scrutinizing the theoretical and technical aspect of air table separators as well as means to comprehend and improve the efficiency of the process. The dissertation details the development of a workable empirical model, a numerical model and a scale model to demonstrate the use of a laboratory air table unit.

The modern air-based density separator achieves effective density-based separation for particle sizes greater than 6 mm. Parametric studies with the laboratory scale unit using low rank coal have demonstrated the applicability …

A Framework For Understanding The Public's Perspectives Of Mining Applied To The Kentucky Coal Industry, Joshua M. Hoffman

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

People’s perceptions of mining are heavily based on the media they consume and the messages therein. News outlets ordinarily report on mining only when there is an accident or environmental concern. When messages that the public is exposed to are negative, it is no wonder that there are negative perceptions about mining.

Current public relations campaigns on the behalf of specific companies or select sectors do exist; however, this is often a reactionary move in response to recent shifts in the socio-political environment. The details of these campaigns are often tied up in proprietary information or withheld by public relations …

Characterizing The Variability In Respirable Dust Exposure Using Johnson Transformation And Re-Examining 2010 Proposed Changes To The U.S. Underground Coal Mine Dust Standard, Al I. Khan

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP), commonly referred to as black lung, is a chronic lung disease that results from the inhalation and deposition of coal dust in the lungs. While this disease continues to afflict coal miners, its prevalence has steadily declined over three decades since 1970. Based on a voluntary X-ray surveillance program, conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), this downward trend, however, ended in 2000 and has actually begun to rise. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) instituted a Comprehensive Initiative to “End Black Lung” to combat the reported upturn in black …

Cavitation Nanobubble Enhanced Flotation Process For More Efficient Coal Recovery, Ahmed S. Sayed Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Froth flotation is a widely used, cost effective particle separation process. However, its high performance is limited to a narrow particle size range, e.g., between 50 µm and 600 µm for coal and between 10 µm and 100 µm for minerals. Outside this range, the efficiency of froth flotation decreases significantly, especially for difficult-to-float particles of weak hydrophobicity (e.g., oxidized coal).

Nanobubbles integrated into a specially designed column flotation expanded the particle size range for efficient froth flotation as a result of increased probabilities of particle- bubble collision and attachment and reduced probability of detachment.

The major advantages of nanobubble …

Froth Flotation Performance Enhancement By Feed Cavitation And Magnetic Plastic Particle Addition, Mehmet Saracoglu

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Froth flotation is the most commonly used process to recover and upgrade the portion of the coal preparation plant feed that has a particle size smaller than 150 microns. Problems that occur when employing froth flotation in the coal industry include i) coal surfaces that are weakly-to-moderately hydrophobic, and ii) flotation systems that are overloaded and limited by insufficient retention time.

Research was performed to evaluate techniques that could be implemented to improve flotation performance under the aforementioned scenarios. Pre-aeration of flotation feed using a cavitation system was extensively evaluated in laboratory and full-scale test programs. The benefits of adding …

Enhanced Phosphate Flotation Using Novel Depressants, Lingyu Zhang

Theses and Dissertations--Mining Engineering

Froth flotation is the most efficient method for phosphate separation, which is a physic-chemical separation process based on the difference of surface properties between the valuable minerals and unwanted gangue minerals. However, the presence of clay slimes in the slurry after grinding consumes a large amount of reagents, decreases the collision probability between bubbles and minerals, prevents phosphate particle attachment to air bubbles, and thus considerably reduces flotation recovery and concentrate grade. Georgia Pacific Chemical, LLC has recently developed novel depressants, i.e., clay binders, which are a series of low molecular weight specialty polymers to help improve phosphate flotation performance …

Coupling Numerical Simulation And Pattern Recognition To Model Production And Evaluate Carbon Dioxide Injection In Shale Gas Reservoir, Amirmasoud Kalantari-Dahaghi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Massive multi-cluster, multi-stage hydraulic fractures have significantly increased the complexity of the flow behavior in shale. This has translated into multiple challenges in the modeling of production from shale wells.

Most commonly used numerical techniques for modeling production from shale wells are Explicit Hydraulic Fracture (EHF) and Stimulated Reservoir Volume (SRV). Model setup for the EHF technique is long and laborious and its implementation is computationally expensive, such that it becomes impractical to model beyond a single pad. On the other hand, identifying the extent and conductivity of SRV is a challenging proposition. SRV technique is commonly used to simplify …

Utilization Of Booster Fans In Underground Mines, Arash Habibi Javanbakht

Masters Theses

"Booster fans are large underground fans that can increase the volumetric efficiency of ventilation systems by balancing the pressure and quantity distribution throughout a mine, reducing leakage and reducing the total power requirement. The objective of this study is to provide potential users of booster fans with the necessary information on the design, installation and operation of main underground fans. The guidelines listed in this paper were formulated based on current U.S. and international standards, safe operating practices developed by the mining industry, and recommendations provided by fan manufacturers. The principles involved in the design and installation of booster fans …

Methods For Evaluating Effect Of Operators On Drag Line Energy Efficiency, Maryam Abdi Oskouei

Masters Theses

"Draglines are dominant machines and the most significant electricity consumers in surface coal mines. With the growing price of energy, environmental concerns, and the high sensitivity of mine profitability to dragline productivity, any improvement in efficiency of dragline will be beneficial for mines. Research has shown that operator practices have a significant impact on energy efficiency of mining loading tools. However, not enough work has been done to provide guidance on how to quantitatively assess the effect of operator practices on dragline energy efficiency.

The objectives of this work were to: (i) test the hypothesis that dragline operator's practices and …

Stochastic-Optimization Of Equipment Productivity In Multi-Seam Formations, Elijah Adadzi

Masters Theses

"Short and long range planning and execution for multi-seam coal formations (MSFs) are challenging with complex extraction mechanisms. Stripping equipment selection and scheduling are functions of the physical dynamics of the mine and the operational mechanisms of its components, thus its productivity is dependent on these parameters. Previous research studies did not incorporate quantitative relationships between equipment productivities and extraction dynamics in MSFs. The intrinsic variability of excavation and spoiling dynamics must also form part of existing models. This research formulates quantitative relationships of equipment productivities using Branch-and-Bound algorithms and Lagrange Parameterization approaches. The stochastic processes are resolved via Monte …

Experiments To Measure The Effects Of Timber Harvesting Equipment On Surface Lithic Scatters, Douglas J. Baughman

All Master's Theses

The importance of cultural resource preservation cannot be overstated; however local economies are at least as important. Due to conservative archaeological site protection practices in Region 5 of the United States Forest Service, the economy of Northeastern California is being adversely affected. In an attempt to help the Forest Service make more informed management decisions and improve the Northeastern California economy, I undertook experiments on the effects of timber harvesting on lithic scatters on Modoc National Forest. The experiments involved placement of 225 glass tiles (proxy lithics) in each of three plots subject to vehicle traffic and log dragging by …

Spatial Variation Of Amd Related Co₂ Emissions On Reclaimed Mine Spoil, Moagabo Mathiba

Doctoral Dissertations

"Carbon dioxide (CO₂) from acid mine drainage (AMD)-carbonate neutralization reactions in reclaimed mine spoils, can intermittently invade homes and structures constructed on or adjacent to these spoils in hazardous and even lethal concentrations (>15%) and rendering them uninhabitable. This phenomenon is beginning to be recognized as an emerging environmental, safety and health threat with potential environmental and financial liability for mine operators, developers and owners.

Like in natural soils, soil temperature and moisture, and possibly elevation are likely to influence CO₂ emissions from reclaimed mine spoils. However, mine spoil soils are heterogeneous and have significant convective transport due to …

Explosively Formed Projectile Soft-Recovery Force Analysis, Laurin Bookout, Phillip R. Mulligan, Jason Baird

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The design of a soft-recovery system is critical to a researcher's ability to analyze hypervelocity projectiles. The researcher may decide to use one method over another based on several criteria, including whether or not non-deformed projectile measurements are required. This report analyzes the forces two different soft-recovery methods impart on the projectiles collected. Method 1 utilized three polyethylene water barrels placed “end-to-end” horizontally, providing 2.6 meters (9 feet) of water to stop the projectile. Method 2 is a modification of the soft-recovery method utilized in “Soft-Recovery of Explosively Formed Penetrators” by Lambert and Pope. This method utilizes a series of …

Method And Apparatus For Jet-Assisted Drilling Or Cutting, David A. Summers, Klaus Woelk, Kenneth Doyle Oglesby, Greg Galecki

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An abrasive cutting or drilling system, apparatus and method, which includes an upstream supercritical fluid and/or liquid carrier fluid, abrasive particles, a nozzle and a gaseous or low-density supercritical fluid exhaust abrasive stream. The nozzle includes a throat section and, optionally, a converging inlet section, a divergent discharge section, and a feed section.

Production Scheduling And Waste Disposal Planning For Oil Sands Mining Using Goal Programming, E. Ben-Awuah, H. Askari-Nasab, Kwame Awuah-Offei

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In oil sands mining, timely provisions of ore and tailings containment with less environmental footprints are the main drivers of profitability and sustainability. The recent Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board Directive 074 requires oil sands waste disposal planning to be an integral part of mine planning. This requires the development of a well integrated strategy of directional mining and tailings dyke construction for in-pit and ex-pit tailings storage management. The objectives of this paper are to: 1) determine the order and time of extraction of ore, dyke material and waste that maximizes the net present value; 2) determine the destination …

Investigating Planer Propagation Of A Shockwave In A Shock Tunnel, John Rathbun, Dave Mclane

Kaleidoscope

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Shock Front Geometry On Shock Depolarization Of Pb(Zr 0.52ti 0.48)O₃ Ferroelectric Ceramics, S. I. Shkuratov, Jason Baird, E. F. Talantsev

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

By use of experimentation, we detected a shock wave geometry effect on the depolarization of poled PbZr_0.52Ti_0.48)O₃ Z(PZT 52/48) ferroelectrics. It follows from the experimental results that shock front geometry is one of key parameters in the shock depolarization of PZT 5248 ferroelectrics. This shock depolarization effect forms a fundamental limit to miniaturization of explosive-driven shock-wave ferroelectric generators (FEGs). Based on obtained experimental results, we developed miniature generators that reliably produce pulsed voltages exceeding 140 kV.

Note: Utilizing Pb(Zr 0.95ti 0.05)O₃ Ferroelectric Ceramics To Scale Down Autonomous Explosive-Driven Shock-Wave Ferroelectric Generators, S. I. Shkuratov, Jason Baird, E. F. Talantsev

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Further miniaturization of recently designed autonomous ferroelectric generators (FEGs) S. I. Shkuratov, J. Baird, and E. F. Talantsev, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 82, 086107 (2011), which are based on the effect of explosive-shock-wave depolarization of poled ferroelectrics is achieved. The key miniaturization factor was the utilization of high-energy density Pb(Zr_0.95Ti_0.05)O₃ (PZT 955) ferroelectric ceramics as energy-carrying elements of FEGs instead of the previously used Pb(Zr_0.52Ti_0.48)O₃ (PZT 5248). A series of experiments demonstrated that FEGs based on smaller PZT 955 ferroelectric elements are capable of producing the same output voltage as those …

The Effects Of The Flyer Plate's Radius Of Curvature On The Performance Of An Explosively Formed Projectile, Phillip R. Mulligan, Jason Baird, Joshua Hoffman

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An explosively formed projectile (EFP) is known for its ability to penetrate vehicle armor effectively. Understanding how an EFP’s physical parameters affect its performance is crucial to development of armor capable of defeating such devices. The present study uses two flyer plate radii of curvature to identify the experimental effects of the flyer plate’s radius of curvature on the measured projectile velocity, depth of penetration, and projectile shape. The Gurney equation is an algebraic relationship for estimating the velocity imparted to a metal plate in contact with detonating explosives. The authors of this research used a form of the Gurney …

Geometric Variables Shock-Tunnel Configurations And Their Effects On Pressure-Time Waveforms, Chase W. Guengerich, Mark A. Faulhaber

Kaleidoscope

No abstract provided.

Knott, James Proctor, 1830-1911 (Sc 640), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "additional files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 640. Letter from James Proctor Knott, Washington, D.C., to Adolph Sutro, (Virginia City, Nevada?) the mining engineer who directed the construction of a tunnel for more efficient mining into the Comstock Lode after receiving the right of way through public lands by an act of Congress. Knott, U.S. Representative from Kentucky, affirms that Sutro has his support.

Development And Validation Of A Model For Granular Material Volume Measurements, Pourya Fasounaki

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Keeping inventory record of packed grains in silos poses challenges since the bulk material’s different segments do not discharge uniformly, leading to formation of random peaks and valleys on the surface. To facilitate obtaining accurate volume measurement of the grains by taking into account this non-linear behavior on the surface, laser or plumb-bob level-sensing devices are employed at different part of the surface to probe the level of material under those regions.

The main goals of this research is to study the behavior of granular material in silo while discharging downward and by doing so, differentiate certain flow patterns formed …

Impacts Of Changes In Land Use And Land Cover On Atmospheric Chemistry And Air Quality Over The 21st Century, S. Wu, L. J. Mickley, J. O. Kaplan, D. J. Jacob

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The effects of future land use and land cover change on the chemical composition of the atmosphere and air quality are largely unknown. To investigate the potential effects associated with future changes in vegetation driven by atmospheric CO 2 concentrations, climate, and anthropogenic land use over the 21st century, we performed a series of model experiments combining a general circulation model with a dynamic global vegetation model and an atmospheric chemical-transport model. Our results indicate that climate-and CO 2-induced changes in vegetation composition and density between 2100 and 2000 could lead to decreases in summer afternoon surface ozone of up …

3d Finite Element Analysis Of Pwa-Oil Sand Terrain System Interaction, Y. Li, Samuel Frimpong, W. Y. Liu

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A simulator for analyzing the interaction between the oil sand terrain and a pipe wagon articulating (PWA) system has been developed in this paper. An elastic-plastic oil sand model was built based on the finite element analysis (FEA) method and von Mises yield criterion using the Algor mechanical event simulation (MES) software. The three-dimensional (3D) distribution of the stress, strain, nodal displacement, and deformed shape of the oil sands was animated at an environmental temperature of 25C. The 3D behavior of the oil sand terrain was investigated with different loading conditions. The effect of the load and contact area on …

Fractal Oxidation Kinetics And Risk Evaluation Of Spontaneous Combustion In Coal Mines, Yutao Zhang

Doctoral Dissertations

"The spontaneous combustion of coal occurs when air supply is sufficient for the oxidation of coal and air velocity is insufficient for the dissipation of generated heat. Spontaneous combustion, if not eradicated immediately, may lead to coal ignition and even a full-blown fire. The fire may engulf a large area and spread further if they are not immediately attended to. This will not only endanger miners and mining operations, but also result in possible mine closures and even fatalities.

Porous structure has a significant effect on coal adsorption and spontaneous combustion. In this research, fractal theory was utilized to quantitatively …