Investigation of the relationship between mechanical properties and swelling behavior of coal seam wall rocks

This study was carried out in the A1, A2 and A6 longwall panel, where preparations are in progress in TKİ-GLİ-Ömerler underground mine. In this study, it is aimed to determine the strength of the weak and stratified claystone located in floor, roof and intermediate of thick coal seam. It was planned to carry out in situ Schmidt hardness (SH) and point load strength (NYD) index tests in large scale excavation faces. For this purpose, SH tests were performed in 13 excavation faces and also NYD index tests were carried out in 25 locations. The test areas, which has totaling 142.75 m2, were divided into 398 units of measuring cells, of which has 0.15-0.25 m2 each area. SH tests were performed at the midpoint of the unit cells with at least three repeats. In addition, NYD index tests were carried out on three irregular samples taken from the same unit cells. In this study, a total of 801 SH test results and 336 NYD index test results were evaluated together. In addition, density (26#), slake durability (12#), uniaxial compressive strength (72#), indirect (Brazilian) tensile strength (7#), uniaxial deformability (38#) tests were performed from the blocks brought to the laboratory.XRD analyzes were performed to help identify the clay material encountered in the field. By the determined mechanical behavior of the clay material, it was divided three separate classes. Especially according to the results of slake durability index tests, this classification was as K-1, K-2, K-3 (K: Clay, Claystone). In addition, the swelling behavior of the clay was determined.The swelling behavior for the clay material in the K-1 class was 7.8 mm, the swelling behavior for the clay material in the K-2 class was 1.59 mm, while the swelling behavior for the K-3 class did not occur. In this study, statistical relationships between swelling behavior and all mechanical behaviors were investigated.As a result of the statistical analyzes performed, it was determined that there are strong relationships between density, slake durability, point load strength index, Schmidt hardness, uniaxial compressive strength and swelling behavior.In addition, it has been found that there are strong statistical relationships between slake durability-point load strength index, slake durability-uniaxial compressive strength, point load strength index-uniaxial compressive strength.In the rock mechanics experiments obtained from this thesis, an integrative approach (nomogram) was developed with the help of slake durability, point load strength index test results and swelling test results.