Patents

The wireless strata information system for underground openings of the invention is particularly useful for underground openings such as mines, tunnels, caverns etc. Use of the system of the invention in underground openings would help in on-line and real time monitoring of stress on pillars/stooks/ribs/side-walls, pillar strain, roof closure/convergence/divergence, load on supports, bed separation, strata deformation due to surrounding workings or any other relevant geotechnical parameters required to be measured in underground openings including coal and metal mines, tunnels, caverns etc. wirelessly using geotechnical instrumental sensors based on vibrating wire and potentiometer in combination with the electronic circuits for processing of data installed at strategic places and ZigBee enabled active motes, placed at strategic locations forming a wireless network among themselves and storing the geotechnical data at a remote and safer place or even at surface control room. This would help in knowing the actual roofpillar condition or strata behaviour and warning the workers in case of impending roof fallpillar instability, if required. This would help the management to get the pattern of strata behaviour like roofside wall sagging, convergence, etc. to take necessary action during underground/tunnel/caverns activities. This would further help in deciding the management to take precautionary measures from the remote place without going to the site to take safety precautions like induced blasting, additional supporting, withdrawal of men and machinery, etc.