Evaluation of underground supports made of wood and other materials

Abstract

A roof support system is one of the most important systems in underground mining. It may consist of various types of supports such as props, cribs, steel arches, powered supports and roof bolts, among others. In this research, powered supports and roof bolting are not included.

Evaluation of underground supports needs to take account of several factors. These factors include the mechanical behavior of the supports, the interaction between the support and the surrounding strata, the cost of the support, and the overall economic results. In this research, emphasis is placed on the mechanical behavior of the supports. Criteria have been set up and, based on these criteria, a variety of supports have been evaluated.