To be Updated with new approved abstracts

The subject of this dissertation research is the analysis of the sensitivity of the geo-mechanical stability of slopes of the surface coal mines of the main influential factors. Its main purpose is to define the interaction between the geological environment and the engineering activity. This definition should derive from defined properties and conditions of the geological environment, on one side, and the impact of the engineering activity, on the other. It is regarded that without proper methodological approach, successful resolving of any geotechnical problem is not possible.In general, various methods are used for slope stability analysis. They can roughly be divided into two groups: border balance methods and numeric methods. In general, the slope stability analysis consists of the following components: safety factor Fs; slope-geometrical properties; physical-mechanical properties of tested soil materials; groundwater. The following significant results occurred from the work on this doctoral dissertation: analysis and sensitivity evaluation of the safety factor in the change of the values of certain geo-mechanical parameters; analysis of the reliability of the geo-mechanical parameters that affect the geo-mechanical stability; critical review of the selection of methods for geo-mechanical stability analysis.

Bituminous coal has been historically the primary fuel for generating steam and continues to be used worldwide in that capacity today. Coal is also vital in the production of steel. The hazards of mining coal underground have been minimized in recent years because of innovations in safety. However, fires and explosions (e.g., Moura No. 2 Mine gas explosion, Australia, 1994, and Upper Big Branch South Mine No. 1 gas explosion, 2010)) are ever-present, underground, safety hazards, against which modern, mine ventilation seals are designed to mitigate. Mine ventilation seals isolate mined-out areas from active, mine workings, preventing explosive gasses from the former to migrate into the latter. These structures are also employed to isolate a mine fire, enabling the fire to burn itself out and to provide underground, refuge rooms. A maximum overpressure rating required for a mine ventilation seal under certain conditions is 50-psi in many countries, like mainline seals in Australia and gob-isolation seals the United States. MICON, Inc. of Glassport, Pennsylvania, USA, has developed the world's first, 50-psi, mine ventilation seal with an integral, access door. The integral, access door enables either the abandoned area or a fire-isolated area of a coal mine to be re-entered for inspection, which was never possible before. The MICON, Hybrid II, 50-psi mine ventilation seal with access door has been approved by the U. S. Mine Safety and Health Administration. This seal is a recent variant to the seal, which was awarded U.S. Patent No. 8,342,776, Australian Patent Nos. 2008261894 and 200909379, and other international patents. In this paper, the construction of the MICON Hybrid II, 50-psi, mine ventilation seal with access door is presented.