Astrata control system and its application in West German coal mining

Summary Astrata control system has been developed to improve mine planning and design in deep coal mines in West Germany, where redistributed stresses from longwall workings in weak strata create difficult support problems. The system involves theoretical, laboratory and underground observations and studies of strata and support performance. Examples of the system covered in detail include planning the position and support of a cross-cut; improving a face layout; planning a gateroad; planning strata bolting and planning longwall face layouts.