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7088530 
Journal Article 
Advances in In Situ Testing of Ventilation Control Devices for Underground Mines 
Kay, GJ; Salu, M; , 
2012 
AUSTRALASIAN INST MINING & METALLURGY 
PARKVILLE VICTORIA 
143-+ 
WOS:000317696500020 
As underground mines increasingly face the challenge of maximising production without losing focus on safety excellence, the ability to predict the effectiveness of mine seals and stoppings and the identification of defects plays an increasingly important role in mine ventilation management. While technologies for sample testing installed seals provides significant assurance, the difficulty of conducting tests in operational environments, combined with the production impact of destructive testing procedures, has led to the development of a new method for non-destructively testing ventilation control devices (VCDs). This paper addresses the challenges of in situ testing and reviews the approaches previously employed to verify the quality of VCD installations. It then describes a new testing methodology jointly developed by Whitfield Minerals PTY Ltd and Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) and the range of tests that have been carried out in the laboratory, above ground, at trial underground sites and in active coal mine operations. Although this is a new approach to testing underground VCDs, the method employs recognised testing equipment in a new application. The aim of the new non-destructive technology is to not only verify the thickness and therefore overpressure rating compliance, of new VCDs, but to allow mine operations to identify and locate defects in installed VCDs without causing damage to the material structure. Currently it is difficult, time-consuming and costly to carry out physical sampling and testing of every VCD. Therefore, a reliable and accurate means of non-destructively testing concrete and plaster seals in situ will provide substantial operational and safety benefits to the underground coal mining industry. 
Beamish, B; Chalmers, D; 
978-1-921522-62-8 
Australian Mine Ventilation Conference 2011 
Sydney, AUSTRALIA