A comprehensive geomechanical method for the assessment of rockburst hazards in underground mining

Rockburst hazard in mining industry all over the world is one of the most severe hazards. It is becoming increasingly common because of the ever-growing depths of mining operations accompanied by the increasing strength of rocks. One of the most difficult issues is to predict this hazard before the mining operations, whether geophysical investigations have been conducted or not. Polish experience in this field shows that in such cases an effective solution can be the geomechanical method. Therefore, extensive studies on rockburst hazard should focus on three main aspects: (1) rock mass and rock (and coal) predisposition to rockburst–laboratory tests and empirical analyses based on lithology, (2) identification of the potential places with stress and elastic energy concentration in the rock mass within the area planned for exploitation, and (3) the assessment of the impact of mining tremors on the surface. This preliminary geomechanical analysis assesses the propensity of the rock mass to dynamic breakage and provides quantitatively the level of rockburst hazard. The paper presents Polish experience in rockburst hazard assessment with the use of geomechanical method, as well as some solutions and examples of such analyses.