Szkoła Eksploatacji Podziemnej

Long-lasting prosperity period of mining industry after the Second World War resulted in intensive development of the underground mine building. This building was exposed to numerous tasks like building and extension of mines in worse and worse geological condi-tions, including increasing thickness of the water saturated overburden and increasing exploitation depth. Shaft sinking in more and more difficult hydro-geological conditions (big thickness of the water saturated overburden) resulted in necessity of elaboration and implementation of new constructions of water-proof lining of high load-bearing capacity. It was also proved that using classic formulas of shaft lining calculation resulted in too excessive thickness of the lining in question. Thus realization of suitable investigations was necessary. Technical and technological experience gained in tests and mining operations allowed improvement of the design methods and development of suitable technologies. It particularly concerned methods of the shaft lining design. This study was aimed at the acquainting the problem in question to specialists – designers that design of the underground headings (particularly shafts) comprises a process of development of rules and procedures accompanying broadening knowledge of the rock mass and lining material properties. The examinations are summarized with conclusions indicating di-rections of further development of the shaft lining design.