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<p> This research shows that worst-case methane-air detonation loading on coal mine seals could be more severe than the design loads required by federal regulations, and therefore mine seals should be designed with sufficient ductility beyond the elastic regime. For this study, reinforced concrete mine seals were designed according to traditional protective structural design methods to meet the federal regulation requirements, and then the response to worst-case loads was analyzed in a single-degree- of-freedom model. Coal mine seals designed to resist the regulation loads elastically experienced support rotations up to 4.27 deg when analyzed with the worst-case loads. The analysis showed that coal mine seals designed to satisfy the federal regulations can survive worst-case methane-air detonations if they have sufficient ductility, but will undergo permanent, inelastic deformation.</p>

<p>In order to better inform and train industry professionals, as well as engineering students and new users, an electronic user's manual and comprehensive online training course for LaModel has been developed in an open online learning environment. The online user?s manual provides widespread access to detailed information on the installation, proper use, and troubleshooting procedures through a combination of: written documentation, voiced-over and captioned software simulations and slide presentations, and relevant academic articles. Some of the online LaModel material has also been organized into a set of progressive, self-paced training modules using a number of the slide presentations and software demonstrations, with the addition of pedagogically designed learning activities and proficiency quizzes. These training modules are designed such that a new user can complete the sequence of three learning tracks (novice, intermediate, and advanced) to become a proficient user of the LaModel program. This thesis reports on the development and implementation of the new LaModel user's manual and training course. Currently, the on-line material includes 84 pages of technical notes and 6 hours of slides and hands-on learning activities. In this thesis, the overall layout and format of the user's manual, training modules, and proficiency quizzes are presented along with samples from specific manual sections and classroom lessons. With an increase in operational difficulties, geologic intricacies, and regulatory review, this generation of mining engineers require complex analyzes to determine the integrity of underground mine works. Through access to the new online user's manual and training modules, novice LaModel users can be effectively trained on the correct operation and analysis techniques for using the LaModel program, while experienced users can quickly access detailed information on the newer and/or more complex LaModel functions. The development of both the user's manual and online training course will ultimately increase the effectiveness of mining engineers within the industry, leading to more productive and safer mine designs.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2009. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-06, Section: B, page: 3590. Adviser: Jonathan Freund. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 188-197) Available on microfilm from Pro Quest Information and Learning.

This thesis discusses an experimental study involving sorption studies using methane, carbon dioxide, and a multicomponent gas mixture representative of in situ gas composition. Using the isotherms for pure methane and carbon dioxide, isotherm and variation in gas composition with desorption for gas mixture were established using a numerical technique. When using gas mixture, composition of the desorbing gas at each pressure level was monitored. Results indicate that during desorption, methane concentration decreased as the pressure was decreased while carbon dioxide concentration increased. Experimental results for sorption and variation in gas composition of the gas mixture compare very well with the theoretically obtained results. It is, therefore, possible to establish the sorption isotherm, Langmuir constants for gas mixtures and estimate the variation in gas composition with desorption theoretically, if the sorption isotherms for individual component gases are available and the in situ gas composition is known.

The overriding objective of this research was to develop an understanding of Iran's policy environment, within which the country's mining sector operates, in relation to that of the rest of the world. In an effort to diversify the country's economy, the first five-year development plan (FFYDP) provided a solid structure for the development of the Iranian mining sector. Although the plan attached high priorities to increasing the share of the private sector in mineral activities, the actual capital invested by this sector in mining projects was much less than anticipated during the plan period. This observation constitutes the early context for this research. / To develop that understanding, a multi-level methodology for both the Iranian policy environment and its international counterparts was adopted. For Iran's policy environment, this multi-level methodology covered: (1) A comprehensive assessment of government Policies for the mineral sector as well as the sector's performance during the FFYDP. (2) A thorough examination of the views and comments of all active stakeholders, including Ministry of Mines and Metals (MMM) officials, mining company executives, and co-operatives and individual operators. This information collection was accomplished in three phases: informal discussions, interviews, and formal questionnaires with debriefing follow-ups, where the respondents made many comments on most aspects of the formal questionnaire. (3) An objective examination of financial statements of mining enterprises was also performed. / The comparison of Iran to the international context consisted of two major parts: (1) An assessment of the policy environment of three mineral-endowed developing countries through case studies, and (2) A detailed examination of the views and comments of large international mining enterprises. / This parallel and comparative approach has led to an overall finding that Iran's mineral policy environment has been relatively ineffective in attracting additional investment to the sector. To remedy this situation, policy recommendations, based on the analysis and implication of all components of the above research, are put forward. However, some challenging research questions remain, a list of which constitute promising areas of future research.