Experiment in controlling stability of scarpment benches in deep-pit northern mines by means of foamed plastic heat-insulating shields

1. Foamed plastic has been applied in an experiment on benches of a mine with low temperatures in the experimental section. As a result of observations of the temperature field in this section, the following points have been established: •When the thermal insulation is present, the temperature at a depth of 2 m remains below freezing along the entire line of the bench (−0.9°C in the summer). •Without thermal shielding, the temperature approaches 0°C along the line of the bench at a depth of 2 m. This sort of situation should be regarded as critical, since conditions for rock cave-in are created, and the upper part of the bench is the most hazardous.