Surface collapse is a major problem that follows many active or abandoned underground workings. Collapses result from roof deformation of underground workings, and/or controlled or uncontrolled rock caving. The uncontrolled rock caving could result in surface instability problems and loss of materials and/or human lives. Over the last century, and as a result of underground-uncontrolled rock caving, major accidents due to surface collapse have been reported in France. Some of these collapses were sudden and violent, happened over a few minutes and up to a few hours, and led to loss of life. Others occurred progressively, within a few days, and with fewer effects on the surface environment. The sudden occurrence of these accidents is of big interest in order to be able to predict the risk induced by abandoned underground mines, especially in areas where we’ve built cities and where people live. The objective of this presentation is to show how JMP data analysis platforms (Principal Component Analysis, Discriminant Analysis and Partition Modelling) help define criteria of accident rapidity where it is probable to occur according to the site’s geotechnical and exploitation properties.
