Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2001. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vi, 134 p. : ill., maps (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 128-134).

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<p> Case histories in mining have long described pillars or faces of rock failing violently with an accompanying rapid ejection of debris and broken material into the working areas of the mine. These unstable failures have resulted in large losses of life and collapses of entire mine panels. Modern mining operations take significant steps to reduce the likelihood of unstable failure, however eliminating their occurrence is difficult in practice. Researchers over several decades have supplemented studies of unstable failures through the application of various numerical methods. The direction of the current research is to extend these methods and to develop improved numerical tools with which to study unstable failures in underground mining layouts. </p><p> An extensive study is first conducted on the expression of unstable failure in discrete element and finite difference methods. Simulated uniaxial compressive strength tests are run on brittle rock specimens. Stable or unstable loading conditions are applied onto the brittle specimens by a pair of elastic platens with ranging stiffnesses. Determinations of instability are established through stress and strain histories taken for the specimen and the system. </p><p> Additional numerical tools are then developed for the finite difference method to analyze unstable failure in larger mine models. Instability identifiers are established for assessing the locations and relative magnitudes of unstable failure through measures of rapid dynamic motion. An energy balance is developed which calculates the excess energy released as a result of unstable equilibria in rock systems. These tools are validated through uniaxial and triaxial compressive strength tests and are extended to models of coal pillars and a simplified mining layout. </p><p> The results of the finite difference simulations reveal that the instability identifiers and excess energy calculations provide a generalized methodology for assessing unstable failures within potentially complex mine models. These combined numerical tools may be applied in future studies to design primary and secondary supports in bump-prone conditions, evaluate retreat mining cut sequences, asses pillar de-stressing techniques, or perform backanalyses on unstable failures in select mining layouts.</p>

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<p> Geothermal energy has the potential to become a substantially greater contributor to the U.S. energy market. An adequate investment in Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) technology will be necessary in order to realize the potential of geothermal energy. This study presents an optimization of a waterbased Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) modeled for AltaRock Energy&rsquo;s Newberry EGS Demonstration location. The optimization successfully integrates all three components of the geothermal system: (1) the present wellbore design, (2) the reservoir design, and (3) the surface plant design. </p><p> Since the Newberry EGS Demonstration will use an existing well (NWG 55-29), there is no optimization of the wellbore design, and the aim of the study for this component is to replicate the present wellbore conditions and design. An in-house wellbore model is used to accurately reflect the temperature and pressure changes that occur in the wellbore fluid and the surrounding casing, cement, and earth during injection and production. For the reservoir design, the existing conditions, such as temperature and pressure at depth and rock density, are incorporated into the model, and several design variables are investigated. The engineered reservoir is modeled using the reservoir simulator TOUGH2 while using the graphical interface PetraSim for visualization. Several fracture networks are investigated with the goal of determining which fracture network yields the greatest electrical output when optimized jointly with the surface plant. A topological optimization of the surface is completed to determine what type of power plant is best suited for this location, and a parametric optimization of the surface plant is completed to determine the optimal operating conditions. </p><p> The conditions present at the Newberry, Oregon EGS project site are the basis for this optimization. The subsurface conditions are favorable for the production of electricity from geothermal energy with rock temperatures exceeding 300&deg;C at a well depth of 3 km. This research was completed in collaboration with AltaRock Energy, which has provided our research group with data from the Newberry well. The purpose of this thesis is to determine the optimal conditions for operating an Enhanced Geothermal System for the production of electricity at Newberry. </p><p> It was determined that a fracture network consisting of five fractured zones carrying 15 kg/s of fluid is the best reservoir design out of those investigated in this study. Also, it was found that 100 m spacing between the fractured zones should be implemented as opposed to only 50 m of spacing. A double-flash steam power plant provides the best method of utilization of the geothermal fluid. For the maximum amount of electricity generation over the 30-year operating lifetime, the cyclone separator should operate at 205&deg;C and the flash vessel should operate at 125&deg;C.</p>

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[Truncated abstract. Please see the pdf version of the abstract for the complete text.] Thirty impact structures of confirmed or possible status are currently identified in Australia. Twenty-two of these structures are confirmed by the presence of meteorite fragments or shock metamorphic features that are diagnostic of meteorite impact. The remainder have an impact origin supported by strong secondary evidence. New impact structures are being discovered in Australia at a rate of about one every year, with geophysics a key tool in the identification of candidate structures for further investigation. It is estimated that between two and five times the current number of impact structures are yet to be discovered on the Australian continent. Past compilations of the geophysical signatures of impact structures, particularly of their potential field responses, have been focused on structures formed in mainly crystalline targets. From these studies the expected gravity response is an overall low due to fracturing of the target rocks, with a local gravity high common over the centre of large complex structures, due to the structural uplift of denser material. An overall demagnetisation of the target rocks by the high shock pressures generated by the impact is also expected, although central magnetic highs may also be produced by remanently magnetised melt or the uplift of magnetic rocks from depth. The geophysical signatures of fifteen Australian impact structures are discussed, including individual case studies on nine structures and a detailed study of the Yallalie structure. Only one of the structures discussed here was formed in crystalline rocks, with a further two in mixed sedimentary / crystalline targets. The other structures that were studied were formed in either Phanerozoic basins or mildly-deformed Proterozoic sedimentary rocks. The potential field responses of these structures show a greater variability than was expected, particularly between structures that were formed in different types of target rock. A positive gravity response is found over four structures formed in clastic sedimentary rocks deposited in a Phanerozoic basin. These anomalies are due to the emplacement of denser rock into the central uplift. A decrease in density due to brecciation is not apparent in this target rock type. Furthermore, it is suggested that by collapsing pore space and removing water, the density of wet sedimentary rocks may be locally increased by impact. Circular magnetic anomalies are found outside the central uplift of six impact structures formed in either Phanerozoic or weakly-metamorphosed Proterozoic sedimentary basins.Four possible sources for these anomalies are proposed; remanently magnetised melt or suevite surrounding the central uplift, creation of new magnetic minerals along internal faults within the crater by post-impact hydrothermal fluids, deformation of a flat-lying magnetic layer within the target stratigraphy, and magnetic (maghemite, heavy minerals) minerals concentrated within the post-impact crater fill. It is not possible to definitively identify an impact crater from geophysical evidence alone. Consequently, candidate structures selected from geophysical data, even those as strongly supported as Silverpit, should not be given equal status to structures that have been proven beyond doubt by diagnostic geological criteria. However, it is proposed that structures that possess several pieces of secondary evidence, such as circular shape, interpretation of characteristic geophysical features and crater morphometry, be reclassified as “provisional” impact structures and be given a status that is between “possible” and “probable”. A global compilation of the natural resources known to be associated with impact structures has been undertaken. Where possible, an economic value is calculated for the total definable resource for each structure. The prospectivity of impact structures for petroleum, mineral or water resources is reconfirmed by this work. Almost 20% of all known terrestrial impact structures are associated with some form of resource that is, or has been, exploited. The most numerous, and generally most valuable, of these resources are hydrocarbon accumulations stored in structural traps or brecciated rocks within, or around, the structure. The structural displacements resulting from crater formation can expose from beneath cover, or preserve from erosion, a pre-existing, or progenetic, mineral deposit. While the massive base-metal deposits of the Sudbury Mining Camp are perhaps the most famous of all impact-related economic resources, they require the preservation of the melt sheet formed by a very large (>150 km diameter) impact structure. The Sudbury mineralisation is probably unique on the Earth, but may be a valid target for metal exploration on other planets. Other types of natural resource include surface or ground water, deposits of chemical or organic-rich sedimentary material, hydrothermal ores and industrial diamonds.