Coal mine waste material which usually consists of coarse grained particles to rock fragments in gradation, pose unique geotechnical and environmental problems in their disposal. Study of geotechnical aspects is, thus very important in rational planning for disposal, reclamation, treatment and utilization of coal mine waste material. In the present study samples from the discarded coal mine waste (appararently discarded off without any geotechnical or environmental consideration) has been collected from the vicinity of a coal mine in Central India and geotechnical characterization and evaluation has been carried out.
Le gaspillage de la mine de charbon consiste d'une gradation des particules à grain grossier à des moreaux de rochers, pose une unique problème geotechnique et de l'environement dans leur disposition. L'etude de l'aspect geotechnique est très important pour le disposition, reclamation, traitement et utilisation du rebut de la mine de charbon. Dans l'etude actuelle, l'echantillon du rebut de la mine de charbon abandonne (Abandonner sans considere l'aspect geotechnique et de l'environnement) est ramasse dans les environs d'une mine de charbon situee dans l'inde centrale et une evaluation et caracterisation geotechnique est execute.
India has relatively abundant coal reserves and Indian coal industry is poised for a very big leep in coal production. It is expected that by the end of this century the yearly production would exceed 375 million tonnes. With this rapid increase in production the problem of mine waste disposal as drawn attention of civil engineers towards the associated geotechnical aspects e.g. failure by slide of loosely discarded heaped material, liquefaction, subsidence and reclamation. India's major workable coal deposits occur in two distinct stratigraphic horizons-the lower Gondwanas of Permian age and the tertiary coal deposits. The Gondwana coal constitutes the bulk of the coal resources (almost 99%) and are located in South-Eastern quadrant bounded by 78°E longitude and 24°N latitude leaving three-fourth of the country virtually devoid of major coal deposits. Tertiary coal resources are entirely confined to the foot hills of the Himalayas and the North-Eastern region. Gondowna coals occur in isolated basins along prominent river valleys-Damodar, Pench-Kanhan, Mahanadi and Godavari etc. In the present study a coal mine from central India (Pench Kanhan valley coal fields) has been chosen. Samples from discorded coal mine waste (aparently the discarded off without any geotechical or environmental consideration) have been collected and analysed for their engineering behaviour. In case of analysis of coal mine waste material very limited literature is available especially for Indian coal mines wastes. The available literature is briefly reviewed with reference to geotechnical aspects in the following section.
The application of geotechnical engineering in mining operation was the beginning of consideration of this aspect which was later also applied to mining waste. Cowhard (1977) has discussed three projects involving the disposal of coalmine waste products. Three different types of construction methods and coal wastes described are: disposal by the upstream method of construction with a coarse refuse embankment and a slurry pond; disposal of 17 million yards of combined coal refuse and disposal of strip mine spoil in a large valley fill. Design concepts and analysis of each type of disposal method have been discussed. Zook and Jaworski (1978) have discussed about geotechnical engineering and hydrology in the feasibility and planning stages of surface mining. According to them the state of art in geotechnical engineering and hydrology has reached a level of development which can provide significant and helpful support to the mining engineer for planning and design in surface mining. Dollhopf (1978) has discussed about selective placement of coal strip over burden.