2017 Baltic Geodetic Congress (Geomatics) Gdansk University of Technology, 22-25 June 2017, Poland 978-1-5090-6040-5/17/$31.00 ©2017 IEEE Integration of Thermal Digital 3D Model and a MASW (Multichannel Analysis of Surface Wave) as a Means of Improving Monitoring of Spoil Tip Stability Paulina Lewińska AGH University of Science and Technology Faculty of Mining Surveying and Environmental Engineering Krakow, Poland e-mail: lewinska.paulina@gmail.com Rafał Matuła AGH University of Science and Technology Faculty of Drilling and Petroleum Engineering Krakow, Poland e-mail: rmatula@agh.edu.pl Artur Dyczko The Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences Krakow, Poland e-mail: arturdyczko@tlen.pl Abstract—Spoil tips are anthropomorphic terrain structures built of leftover mining materials. They consist mostly of slate and sandstone or mudstone but also include coal and coal dust. Coal soil tip fires cause an irreversible degradation to the environment. Government organizations notice the potential problem of spoil tip hazard and are looking for ways of fast monitoring of their temperature and inside structure. In order to test new monitoring methods an experimental was performed in the area of spoil tip of Lubelski Węgiel „Bogdanka” S.A. A survey consisted of creating a 3D discreet thermal model. This was done in order to look for potential fire areas. MASW was done in order to find potential voids within the body of a tip. Existing data was digitalized and a 3D model of object’s outside and inside was produced. This article provides results of this survey and informs about advantages of such an approach. Keywords—Ground Penetrating Radar; thermoreflectance imaging; environmental engineering; condition monitoring. I. INTRODUCTION Spoil tips are anthropomorphic terrain structures built of unusable rock material excavated during underground or open pit mining. Usually the term spoil tips refers to coal spoil tip. As such they consist mostly of slate and various types of sandstone or mudstone, also include coal and coal dust. Depending on the percentage amount of mentioned elements spoil tips can are susceptible to fires [5], [7]. Coal tips fires could be caused externally or internally. External cause is relatively easy to eliminate – usually during construction and revegetation those structures are closed for public access or open only to some extent. However there are still a few that belonged to closed mines and could be viewed as a constant treat. Most tip fires begin inside the structure. If a stack effect is introduced within the body of the tip air movement can induce coal dust to explode. If enough coal is located in the vicinity of the explosion it can caught on fire. Stack effect occurs when there are holes in the tip, usually vertical, chimney-like, that allowed for air to move from the outside thru spoil tip with large speed. This also provides oxygen for the fire that started inside. Depending on the size of the tip, amount and kind (age, fraction, placement etc.) of flammable material and amount of oxygen being transferred inside the speed in with the fire grows varies. It can take up to few years before signs of fires become visible as flames or smoke. In a meantime tip’s stability degradation, contamination of the water etc. can occur. Stability can be so demolished that fire brigades are unable to enter the structures safely while trying extinguish the source. Since there are usually a few sources of fire hidden inside and access to them limited stopping the fire my take years rather than weeks or days. Thus prolonging the degradation of the environment [4]. Spoil tips build currently are constructed in a way that should mitigate or a leas minimalize possibility of fires. It is worth to mention that during past few years coal excavation in Poland has changed, becoming more and more effective.