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Item Influence of Underground Workings and Dump Height on the Stability of Overburden Dumps(World Researchers Associations, 2025) Harish, P.; Satyanarayana, I.; Chandar, K.R.Coal is extracted using both underground and opencast methods of working. During the coal extraction process, opencast mining produces a significant amount of overburden. In opencast mines, the removed overburden material is dumped at significant heights to reduce ground coverage. But overburden dumps with great heights are at risk and sometimes lead to failure of dumps causing loss of men and machinery. Stability issues will become more complicated when the overburden is dumped above the old underground workings. Complication arises because of redistribution of pre-existing stresses from underground activities affecting the overburden dumps. This study uses a two-dimensional finite element (FE) analysis program to understand the stability analysis of overburden dumps above old underground workings. The factor of safety (FoS) is determined using the strength reduction technique which highlights the impact of underground excavations on overburden dump stability by highlighting the required strength reduction factor (SRF). In order to analyse the overburden dumps with the presence and absence of old underground workings, numerical models were created for various dump heights. The overburden dumps with underground workings exhibited SRF values ranging from 1.78 to 2.05, while the dumps without underground workings had SRF values ranging from 1.81 to 2.55. The displacement of the overburden dump material, which results in 7 mm of horizontal displacement and 29 mm of vertical displacement, indicates a significant impact of underground workings on the stability of the overburden dumps. This study highlights the importance of considering underground workings in the design and management of overburden dumps to ensure safety and stability. © 2025, World Researchers Associations. All rights reserved.Item Geotechnical Investigations of Coal Mine Waste Dump Material(World Researchers Associations, 2025) Harish, P.; Chandar, K.R.Mining is an essential activity for obtaining the raw materials required for infrastructure and energy needs. During the extraction of coal, a significant amount of overburden (OB) material is generated. Managing the overburden produced by mining activities demands a substantial land for disposal which can be quite challenging in limited spaces. Consequently, it becomes imperative to design safe coal mine OB dumps, optimizing the use of available ground space. The challenge of ensuring the stability of overburden dumps is directly linked to the geotechnical properties of these materials. Therefore, it is crucial to characterize the properties of the dump material accurately to assess its engineering properties reliably. The focus of this study is to outline the various testing procedures necessary for the proper characterization of dump materials to ensure the stability of the dumps. Additionally, the study provides an analysis of laboratory test data and presents typical results from a case study. © 2025, World Researchers Associations. All rights reserved.