Continued extraction of the No. 3 Seam at Elouera Colliery required the driveage of a sequence of roadways within an area
of significantly elevated horizontal stress. Initial roof conditions varied from excellent to very severe as the panel entered
the high stress area. The variation was attributed to the extraction sequence, with different roadways "leading" the panel
into the high horizontal stressfield.
This paper summarises field and analytical work designed to evaluate the use of stress control methods as an effective
planning tool. The "leading" roadway of the panel would be required to remain stable whilst experiencing moderate to
severe deformation whilst the neighbouring roadways (stress relieved) could be driven at more acceptable advance rates
using less reinforcement.
The planning implications of developing the panel with stress control methods are discussed.