Full Length Research Paper

Assessment of Geo-mechanical properties of some Gondwana Coal using P-Wave Velocity

Dhananjai Verma, Ashutosh Kainthola*, Rajesh Singh and T N Singh

Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai-400076

*Corresponding  Author  E-mail:    [email protected]

Received 07 November, 2012; Accepted November 13, 2012

India is a country rich in coal reserves. Estimation of geo-mechanical properties of the coal has a direct bearing on the production of the mine. It is directly related to the design and stability of slope benches, dumps, in surface mine and pillar design in underground workings. The measurement of strength parameters by the conventional laboratory experiments are quite time taking, cumbersome and expensive. Many a times, rock sample of desire size is not available to test the rock for specific properties. The seismic techniques are frequently employed to resolve and characterize the dynamic properties of coal and other rock types. The P-wave velocity of a geo-material is closely related to the intact as well as composite geo-mass. An attempt has been made in the present study is to correlate uniaxial compressive strength, tensile strength, shear strength, density, young’s modulus, and point load index of  Gondwana  coal, India, with the P-wave velocity due to its greater applicability in planning and design for better productivity and stability. The results have been analyzed with statistical technique for the credibly of the findings. The correlating equations, equating the various physico-mechanical properties, with the p-wave velocity have been proposed.

Keywords: Geo-mechanical properties, Coal, P-wave Velocity.