Tunneling and Underground Mining

Code:

MEMG0004

Acronym:

LOS

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Technologies, Applied Sciences, Project

Instance: 2010/2011 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Mining Engineering Department
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Mining and Geo-Environmental Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MEMG	4	Plano de estudos oficial a partir de 2008/09	1	-	6	56	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

In the wake of the course unit of Rock Mass Exploitation, this new course unit will act, to a certain extent, as a way of deepening some subject matters skimmed over or taught in the previous course unit, being now more focused on the application in underground mining. Hence the subject matter of mining exploration methods will be resumed, being given a special emphasis to the methods which are currently most used. It will also be analysed the mechanisation of mining operations (determinants of the phenomena, historical evolution of equipments, current equipments, advantages and disadvantages of mining intensive mechanisation), as well as their impact on the selection of exploration methods and the panoply of current methods.
There is a growing tendency to use tunnels to solve countless road and railway traffic problems, thus this will be a subject matter which will be thorough developed, mainly concerning the current methods of excavation, equipments used, surrounding ground of excavation sites and implementation of subsidiary mining operations, being given an emphasis to ventilation, drainage and sewage. Additionally, it will also be studied the methods and technologies applicable to cavern excavation for multiple purposes.
Still relating to the subject matter of exploration methods, it will be studied the classic and current technologies of well (extraction and ventilation) ramps and chimneys opening.
The use of explosives to the above mentioned purposes is a subject matter which will also be resumed, because of the specificity of the excavations and the reflection on the design and implementation of the fire diagrams.
Due to the amount of time available and as far as possible, it will be handled the conceptual, practical and legal aspects related to the organization of excavation (in the broad sense of the word) works and safety.

Program

-Underground exploration methods: concept of exploration method; classification of the methods and characterization of the most important ones currently applied: selection of an exploration method.
- Mineral extraction equipment: types, purposes and fields of application; the importance of mechanization, its causes and historical evolution of equipments; impact of mechanization on the selection of an exploration method.
- Tunnels and caverns: methods of excavation, equipments and operative modes; application criteria and equipment selection factors. Methods of firm ground excavation: mechanical excavation vs. explosives excavation; fire diagrams for tunnels and great chambers.
- Wells and chimneys: identical summary to the previous theme.
- Ventilation and mining sewage, tunnels and great chambers.
- Support and consolidation of underground excavation edge: main technologies and types of materials and devices available; criteria of application in straight correlation with the methods of excavation.
- Organization of underground excavation works and safety.

Mandatory literature

Jimeno, C; Jimeno, E; Bermudes, P.G.; Mannual de Perforación y Voladura de Rocas, U.D.Proyectos; E.T.S.I. Minas- U.P.M, 2003
Galabru, P.; ; Cimentaciones y Túneles, Editorial Reverté, S.A. Barcelona, 1970
H.Miranda; Ventilação de Túneis, 2006

Teaching methods and learning activities

There are theoretical-practical and practical classes, being the last essentially related to the analysis of situations and illustrative cases of methodologies, technologies and knowledge transmitted in theoretical-practical classes.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Eligibility for exams

Students have to reach a minimum grade of 9.5 out of 20, which corresponds to the average grade of two individual tests (85% each) and the grade of the reports on the visits (15%).

Recurso (resit) exam - for students who did not complete the course unit or who want to improve their grades.
Final Grade= 100% - Grade of recurso (resit) exam

Calculation formula of final grade

See “Admission to Exams”

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

According to General Evaluation Rules of FEUP.

Classification improvement

According to General Evaluation Rules of FEUP.