Field experiment report for exploration of abandoned lignite mines with teleinvestigation robot system

Abstract

The risk of collapse and subsidence of the abandoned lignite mines has been mentioned in Tokai region of Japan. The filling of the cavity is still being advanced. There is no cavity map in the abandoned lignite mines, and it is required to grasp and explore of the underground space in order to estimate the amount of the filling material. By a request from Mitake-cho in Gifu Prefecture, we got the opportunity to explore the inside of an abandoned lignite mine by using our robot system. Prior to the exploration of the actual abandoned lignite mine, as feasibility study, an experimental test field that simulated the elements of abandoned lignite mine was prepared in outdoor. Some experimentations were performed and the explore robot system was evaluated in this study. This paper described about the lessons learned from the feasibility study.