Research Center for Geomechanics and Mining Problems, Saint-Petersburg Mining University, Saint-Petersburg, Russia:

A. N. Shabarov, Director, Doctor of Engineering Sciences
S. V. Tsirel, Chief Researcher, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, tsirel58@mail.ru

The geological faults and the associated phenomena yet are among the primary sources of risk in the subsoil use, especially in underground mining at deep levels and under rockburst hazard. The article gives a detailed description of faulting activities and features of faultline zones, which condition their influence on underground excavations and other objects. Different sections of faults are classified with respect to the degree and type of risk. An emphasis is laid on highly stress zones when a fault is represented by a tightly closed fracture in rock mass of high strength and rockburst hazard. Another characteristic type are the fractured rock zones with the mining-induced rock falls, collapses and increased water inflows. Geological signs are described to distinguish between different-type fault-line zones. It is shown that although mining operations alter stress–strain state in rock mass, the majority of hazardous situations and geodynamic events result from the existing zones with high tectonic stresses. These are the zones where mining generates ultimate stress state and geodynamically hazardous areas. The authors consider particularly the technology of geodynamic zoning of subsoil as a method of the early-stage identification of the block structure and potentially hazardous zones in rock mass. The research has been carried out in the Vorkuta Coal Basin mines and in the North Urals bauxite mines. The geodynamic hazard prevention process is divided into four stages—geodynamic zoning, risk appraisal, geodynamic monitoring, risk mitigation measures.

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