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Α comprehensive geotechnical characterisation of overburden material from lignite mine excavations

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Abstract

For the sustainability of lignite and coal mining, engineers need the soils' appropriate geotechnical characterisation of the excavations. This characterisation relates to the slope stability, the overall area stability, and the sustainable exploitation of mining areas during operational and post-closure eras. This work presents a novel perspective on the soil characterisation of lignite mine excavations. Rather than focusing on one particular mine, a comprehensive geotechnical characterisation provides insights about the soils of related mining areas. Additionally, slope stability representative cases guide soil characterisation and analysis rather than following it. The Greek lignite mines are used as a representative example for the illustration of this framework. Initially, the two typical slope stability scenarios for Greek lignite mines are established: a slope in the presence of a weak zone and a homogeneous slope. The crucial geotechnical parameters are then statistically examined based on an extensive database established from laboratory results of various mines. Focus is on shear strength (friction angle and cohesion), the key to slope stability, and physical properties that can provide the strength through empirical correlations. Many soil layers exhibit a low residual friction angle from 5° to 15°, corresponding to the weak zone. Peak friction angle presents a mean value of 28.4°, and a characteristic value of 25.0°; cohesion presents a wide range with a mean value of 111 kPa and a characteristic value of 84 kPa. Finally, cross-correlations between geotechnical parameters present large scatter, but relations for estimating the residual and the peak friction angle reveal general trends.

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Acknowledgements

This project has received funding from the European Union's Research Fund for Coal and Steel under the projects “SLOPES—Smarter Lignite Open Pit Engineering Solutions” Grant agreement No. RFCR-CT-2015-00001, "RAFF—Risk assessment of final pits during flooding slopes" Grant agreement No. 847299 and "TEXMIN—The impact of extreme weather events on mining operations" Grant agreement No. 847250. Financial assistance by the European Commission is greatly appreciated. The authors are also thankful to the Public Power Corporation (PPC) for kindly providing part of raw data based on which this study was performed. Mr Alexandros Deliveris’ (Chemical Process and Energy Resources Institute, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas) contribution during the first stage of this research is also greatly acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Process and Energy Resources Institute, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, Athens, Greece

    Alexandros I. Theocharis & Nikolaos C. Koukouzas

  2. School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Ioannis E. Zevgolis

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  1. Alexandros I. Theocharis
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Correspondence to Ioannis E. Zevgolis.

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Theocharis, A.I., Zevgolis, I.E. & Koukouzas, N.C. Α comprehensive geotechnical characterisation of overburden material from lignite mine excavations. Geomech. Geophys. Geo-energ. Geo-resour. 7, 30 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-021-00230-z

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