A semi-infinite beam theoretical model on predicting rock slope subsidence induced by underground mining

When the mining goaf is close to the cliff, rock slope subsidence induced by underground mining is significantly affected by its boundary conditions. In this study, an analytical method is proposed by considering the key strata as a semi-infinite Euler-Bernoulli beam rested on a Winkler foundation with a local subsidence area. The analytical solutions of deflection are derived by analyzing the boundary and continuity conditions of the cliff. Then, the analytical solutions are verified by the results from experimental tests, FEM and InSAR, respectively. After that, the influence of changing parameters on deflections is studied with sensitivity analysis. The results show that the distance between goaf and cliff significantly affects the deflection of semi-infinite beam. The response of semi-infinite beam is obviously determined by the length of goaf and the bending stiffness of beam. The comparisons between semi-infinite beam and infinite beam illustrate the ascendancy of the improved model in such problems.