Numerical study of the sluice chamber within mining subsidence areas

Structure affected by mining subsidence is exposed to heavy damage potential before, during, and after passage of the mining working face under it. This study intends to investigate the mining subsidence effect in terms of the whole model of the sluice chamber and the foundation, given the soil-structure interaction. Finite element models, developed using ANSYS, have been used to perform a parametric study of the sluice structure in the three locations within mining subsidence area, which to simulate the effect of different mining stages on the sluice chamber. It is indicated that, as the mining goes on, stress and deformation of the soleplate and side piers changed obviously. The piers are in a relative safe state. However, local tension failures occur in the soleplate, when the sluice chamber is located around the maximum negative curvature point. And, deformation of the piers will keep the sluice from working properly.