Sign in Subscribe
Mining industry

Researchers Develop New Model to Predict Coal Creep Behavior in Deep Mining

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers from Xi'an University of Science and Technology have developed a full-stage creep constitutive model to assess the long-term structural stability and operational safety in deep coal mining. The model, which integrates fractional calculus theory with statistical damage mechanics, is capable of accurately describing the deceleration creep stage, steady-state creep stage, and accelerated creep stage of coal creep behavior. The study's findings have significant implications for evaluating the sustained stability of deep coal mining and have great application potential in deep underground engineering.

Key Takeaways:

  • The researchers developed a nonlinear fractional-order (FO) damage creep model through serial connection of elastic, viscous, viscoelastic, and viscoelastic-plastic components.
  • The model is capable of capturing the full-stage creep behavior of coal, including the deceleration creep stage, steady-state creep stage, and accelerated creep stage.
  • The study used experimental data from deep coal samples in the mining area to identify model parameters and validate the model's accuracy.
  • A sensitivity analysis was conducted to elucidate the impact of model parameters on coal creep behavior, confirming the model's robustness and applicability.
  • The proposed model offers a solid theoretical basis for evaluating the sustained stability of deep coal mining.
  • The study's findings have great application potential in deep underground engineering and can be used to optimize coal mining operations.

Statistics:

  • The study's research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, European Commission Horizon Europe Marie Sklodowska-curie Actions Staff Exchanges Project-loc3g, Deep Earth Probe And Mineral Resources Exploration-national Science And Technology Major Project, and Education Department of Shaanxi Provincial Government.
  • The study involved researchers from Xi'an University of Science and Technology, including Shuai Yang, Hongchen Song, Hongwei Zhou, Senlin Xie, Lei Zhang, and Wentao Zhou.
  • The fractional creep damage constitutive equations acquired from the model involved one-dimensional and three-dimensional (3D) equations.
  • The study used experimental data from deep coal samples in the mining area to validate the model's accuracy, with the result curves of the improved model coinciding with experimental data points.

Sources:

  • A Fractional Derivative Insight into Full-Stage Creep Behavior in Deep Coal. Fractal and Fractional, 2025,9(7):473. (MDPI AG)
  • NewsRx. Xi'an University of Science and Technology Researchers Have Provided New Study Findings on Thermodynamics (A Fractional Derivative Insight into Full-Stage Creep Behavior in Deep Coal). Physics Week. August 12, 2025; p 672.

Read more