In this study, I analyzed the stability of three underground coal mine portals using RS3 (Rocscience 3D) software. These three portals serve as the main entryways for underground coal mining activities and act as critical points that must be ensured for stability to support worker safety and smooth operations. In an underground coal mine, having at least three portals is essential not only for the transportation of coal and equipment but also to provide adequate ventilation throughout the mine workings.
Another challenge in the portal opening analysis is the nature of coal seams and surrounding sedimentary rocks, which are relatively weak compared to harder rock masses. This condition demands careful geotechnical assessment to ensure that the portals remain stable during the mine’s operational life.
Each portal has different geotechnical conditions in terms of depth, portal inclination, and the characteristics of the supporting rock mass. Using RS3, I modeled each portal in a 3D condition that represents the field conditions as accurately as possible, including earth pressures, stress distribution, and the slope stability factor (strength factor).
