The Protection of Masonry Buildings in a Mining Area

Abstract The paper includes the principles of protection of existing masonry buildings, located on mining areas. The article contains both a theoretical discussion and a numerical analysis. The effects of mining influence on a subsoil surface are presented as a part of the theoretical discussion. Furthermore, the rules of the procedure and the methodology for static analyses of wall structures located on an active mining area are briefly discussed. The last part of the theoretical considerations is the methodology and the capabilities of using the Finite Element Method in the static analyses. Results of a numerical analysis of a building behaviour subjected to mining impacts are presented. A residential, three-storey masonry building, not adapted to transmit the mining impacts, is analysed. The main problem of the analysis is a proper structure division by dilatations. Calculations are carried out by the FEM with the use of the non-linear-plastic material model with stiffness degradation. Results of the static analysis are obtained from a classical engineering method – the method of Budzianowski.