Characteristics of biplanar wedge spoil pile instabilities and methods to improve stability

The stability of spoil piles in surface coal mines is an important factor in the successful exploitation of coal reserves. Spoil pile instability must be avoided not only to ensure negligible risk in both personnel and equipement but also to prevent increased production costs. Since mining began at the Eskihisar strip coal mine, southwest Turkey, stability problems have been experienced in both spoil piles adjacent to highwalls (slices) and outside dumping areas. This paper outlines the results of field and laboratory investigations performed to describe the causes and mechanism of pile instabilities threatening production along the highwalls. Back-analysis of failures and monitoring data have revealed that failures occur along planar surfaces that define two-wedge shaped blocks. In addition, shear strength of the moist underclay at the base of piles and changes in the floor dip are the controlling factors in the development of failures. It is also noted that sharp decreases in shear strength after peak values for the the underclay indicated that weak basal planes exhibit a shear strength at or approaching the residual value at the time of failure. Results show that failures are most likely initiated along the spoil &#150 natural ground interface and propagate into spoil mass. Three possible remedial measures have been evaluated by carrying out two-dimentional stability analyses, and the most effective method for improving spoil pile stability appeared to be spreading of a rockfill material on the floor after coal production. Key words: back-analysis, biplanar wedge failure, pile instability, rockfill blanket, shear strength.