Strata Mechanics Research Institute, PAS
Name: Strata Mechanics Research Institute, PAS
Address: ul. Reymonta 2, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
Website: http://imgpan.pl/en/
Description:
Since 1954, the Strata Mechanics Research Institute, Polish Academy of Science has been a scientific unit conducting research in the field of mining, especially in the field of safety engineering of underground works and their impact on the environment.
The Institute has two Departments: Flow Physics (with the Laboratory of Flow Metrology and the Laboratory of Mine Ventilation) and Rock Mechanics (with the Laboratory of Micromeretics and the Laboratory of Rock Deformations).
Conducted research works are of cognitive and application character, as well as construction and implementation. Laborious experiments are conducted to verify the developed theories and methods of analysed physical phenomena and processes. The Institute is constantly developing measurement methods, and thanks to its unique apparatus it conducts experimental research in laboratories and on real objects as well as numerical experiments. There are many laboratories in the Institute, including the accredited Laboratory for Calibration Ventilation Measuring Instruments (No. AP 118).
Current activities of the Institute include basic and applied research in the field of engineering and technology, focusing on the following topics:
- mining and its impact on the environment and buildings,
- geomechanics and geotechnics,
- flow metrology,
- measurement of environmental parameters and their derivatives,
- flow phenomena in porous media,
- phenomena related to transient states in airflow in wide area networks,
- forecasting ventilation processes and non-stationary flows in complex ventilation systems.
The Institute also undertakes activities to disseminate science, such as organizing (or co-organizing) scientific conferences or participating in cyclical scientific events.
Disciplines: environmental engineering, mining and energy
Fields of activity:
- mining – impacts of underground mining operation on the surface, natural hazards in mining;
- rock mechanics – geomechanics, geotechnics, numerical modelling, strength and deformation tests;
- flow metrology – methods for measuring flow velocity, measuring environmental parameters, thermoanemometry;
- mine ventilation – computer simulation, physico-chemical phenomena in burning heaps to reduce environmental risks, analysis of processes taking place in the area of the longwall, taking into account the operation of the mining complex and conducting demethanation;
- micromeretics – gasogeodynamical phenomenon in coal, stereological analysis.
Latest achievements:
The MERIDA project has built computational models to predict the consequences of the process of decommissioning underground mines by sinking them. This methodology makes it possible to determine, among others, the risk of expected methane emission from goafs, radon contamination, rock mass deformation in a continuous and discontinuous form. This makes it possible to control these risks, reduce the negative effects on the environment, construction facilities and their impact on society.
Implementation of the method of using a heat wave marker to detect the flow rate. The method allows to make measurements in gas flows, using basic values (time, length). Determination of the speed is performed with high precision and the measurement can be treated as a standard or validation method. The method allows to become independent of external factors (changes in temperature, pressure, medium density). The developed method is used in the electronics, pharmaceutical, chemical and food industries.
Research facilities:
labs/accredited Calibration Laboratory for Ventilation Measuring Instruments/wind tunnels/measurement devices/Instron 8500 universal testing machine
Contact person:
Marta Rusek
Assistant
rusek@imgpan.pl
(+48 12) 637 62 00 ext. 89
