The Australian Coal Research board (ACARP’s executive board) awarded its inaugural post-graduate scholarship in December to support a geotechnical PhD student.
Each year two scholarships will be made available for post-graduate research, either at a masters or PhD level, valued at $50,000 per annum, tax-free.
Geotechnical engineer, Bill Lawrence, was awarded the first scholarship to pursue PhD research in rock engineering at the University of Queensland.
Entitled “A rock engineering methodology for the design of gateroad roof support”, the PhD aims to extend, validate and document an integrated and systematic gateroad support design methodology, based on rigorous rock engineering principles, mining experience and engineering judgement, Lawrence said.
In essence, the work aims to address continuing uncertainty in the specification of gateroad roof support for both panel development and longwall retreat.
“The advantage to the industry of this methodology would be to provide for consistent definition (strata conditions, support requirements and behaviour, etc.), assessment and specification of gateroad support,” Lawrence said.
Lawrence has wide based industry experience, currently working as a consulting geotechnical engineer in Emerald, Queensland. His coal geotechnical experience started with ACIRL (Australian Coal Industry Research Laboratories) in the 80’s and continued at Gordonstone (now Kestrel) mine, from 1991 to 1999. Until 2000 he worked as technical services manager for Dywidag Systems International.
ACARP executive director, Ross McKinnon said the creation of the scholarship was in part a response to comments by researchers that more longer-term research projects would offer greater benefits to industry. On average, ACARP projects run just over 12 months making it difficult for post-graduate students to take on ACARP research as a major component of a two or three year degree.
“Where we could we have framed some three year commitments on specific identifiable industry issues and this scholarship funding is an example of that,” McKinnon said.
A second important aspect is to provide encouragement for people already working in the coal industry who want to lift their levels of expertise.
“It’s a step towards building on existing capabilities in terms of technology development and technical support to industry. This sets in place an important response to an issue we’ve been thinking about for some time,” he said.
