Skip to main content
Article
Emergency Evacuation Guidance System for Underground Miners
Proceedings of the 2019 SME Annual Conference and Expo and CMA 121st National Western Mining Conference (2019, Denver, CO)
  • A. Ur Rehman
  • Kwame Awuah-Offei, Missouri University of Science and Technology
  • D. Baker
  • Douglas A. Bristow, Missouri University of Science and Technology
Abstract

While a body of work exists on intelligent systems for guiding occupants out of buildings during an emergency, the problem of guiding miners out of a mine during an underground emergency has not been explored. Underground evacuation fundamentally differs from building evacuation because of differences in the regulatory regime and uncertainty regarding the number of occupants. The potential for implementing an intelligent miner guidance system is buttressed by the fact that miner tracking systems, along with communication and sensor networks, already exist in underground mines. This work presents a method based on a local positioning system, in the form of a network of "nodes" at major "intersections," which can then be used to guide miners to safety. We have developed a path-planning algorithm, based on Dijkstra's algorithm and the local positioning system that can provide miners with the optimal escape path in an emergency. The algorithm is validated with scenarios at the Missouri University of Science & Technology Experimental Mine demonstrating the potential to include smart technology in mine emergency management and response planning.

Meeting Name
2019 SME Annual Conference and Expo and CMA 121st National Western Mining Conference (2019: Feb. 24-27, Denver, CO)
Department(s)
Mining Engineering
Second Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Research Center/Lab(s)
Intelligent Systems Center
Keywords and Phrases
  • Intelligent Systems,
  • Motion Planning,
  • Remote Control,
  • Risk Management,
  • Sensor Networks, Building Evacuation,
  • Dijkstra's Algorithms,
  • Emergency Evacuation,
  • Emergency Management,
  • Local Positioning System,
  • Optimal Escape Path,
  • Path-Planning Algorithm,
  • Regulatory Regime, Miners
International Standard Book Number (ISBN)
978-151088466-3
Document Type
Article - Conference proceedings
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2019 SME, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
2-1-2019
Publication Date
01 Feb 2019
Citation Information
A. Ur Rehman, Kwame Awuah-Offei, D. Baker and Douglas A. Bristow. "Emergency Evacuation Guidance System for Underground Miners" Proceedings of the 2019 SME Annual Conference and Expo and CMA 121st National Western Mining Conference (2019, Denver, CO) (2019)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/douglas-bristow/70/