A numerical study on the response and stability of abandoned lignite mines in relation to the excavation of a large underground opening below

14th International Conference of International Association for Computer Methods and Recent Advances in Geomechanics, IACMAG 2014 -- 22 September 2014 through 25 September 2014 -- Kyoto -- 107391When new structures are built over or below existing natural or man-made cavities, the possible effect of collapse of underground openings on ground surface is very important for the design of new structures and their effects on ground surface and adjacent structures. In this article, the authors present the outcomes of physical model tests, 2D and 3D numerical analyses on the effect of a new tunnel excavation on the stability of abandoned mines above under static and dynamic conditions and discuss their implications in practice. The results of this integrated study indicate that it is possible to estimate the effect of new underground excavation on ground surface and abandoned mines. © 2015 Taylor & Francis Group, London