Effects of Water Intrusion on Mechanical Properties of and Crack Propagation in Coal

Studying the mechanical properties of and crack propagation in coal after water intrusion is necessary to tackle a number of geological engineering problems such as those associated with underground water storage in collieries and support for underground roadways in coal mines. To study the mechanical properties and crack development, 12 coal samples with moisture contents of 0, 2.37, 3.78 and 5.29 % were prepared for acoustic emission tests under uniaxial compression. Over about 6 days, the coal samples absorbed moisture from a humidifier in three different phases. In this period, uniaxial tests show that the peak stress, elastic modulus, strain softening modulus and post-peak modulus decreased with rising moisture content in the samples while the peak strain increased. It was further found that, by analysing the relationship between the stiffness and stress and the accumulated acoustic emission counts, all the phases of crack development can be evaluated. This is useful for studying the effect of water intrusion on crack propagation and for calculating the mechanical properties of the coal such as the elastic modulus. This investigation also quantifies the percentage of the stress thresholds for crack closure, crack initiation, and crack damage that constitutes the peak stress. These stress thresholds do not change with moisture content. Our results are of great significance for water storage in coal mines, for determination of pillar dimensions in coal mines, and for expanding the knowledge base of the mechanical properties of coal and the characteristics of crack propagation.