Detection Technology and Application of Borehole Radar in Complex Coal Mine Geology

Authors

  • Mao Lin Yang

    SHEN DONG COAL Geological Survey Company, UCHN Energy Investment Group Co., Ltd., Ordos 017000, China

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v8i9.13065
Received: 23 January 2026 | Revised: 12 August 2026 | Accepted: 11 September 2026 | Published Online: 23 September 2026

Abstract

During coal mining and underground engineering, concealed structures such as fractured zones, abandoned roadways, mined-out spaces, and water-bearing disturbed zones pose significant safety risks. This study investigates a single-hole impulse borehole radar method for refined detection of such anomalies. A 20–200 MHz impulse radar probe is used for continuous acquisition during advancement along the borehole. Reflection travel time and reflection-event geometry are used to constrain the axial positions and approximate radial distances of off-hole reflectors, while Hilbert-derived instantaneous amplitude, phase, and frequency are jointly analyzed to characterize complex radar responses. Field tests were conducted at a tunnel in Yunnan Province and at a coal mine. In the tunnel test, radar attenuation zones generally corresponded to fractured intervals and lithological variations revealed by borehole television. Four of five severely fractured intervals showed corresponding weakened or disturbed radar responses, while inclined reflections at radial distances of approximately 4.0–5.6 m indicated off-hole structural features. In the coal-mine application, anomalies detected in four exploration and drainage boreholes showed clear spatial correspondence with known roadways, abandoned mining spaces, and water-bearing fractured zones. The results demonstrate that single-hole borehole radar can identify both near-borehole structural variations and off-hole geological anomalies, extending geological information from the borehole trajectory into the surrounding rock mass and providing an effective means for refined underground structural investigation.

Keywords:

Borehole Radar; Coal Mine; Single Borehole; Impulse Radar

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How to Cite

Yang, M. L. (2026). Detection Technology and Application of Borehole Radar in Complex Coal Mine Geology. Journal of Environmental & Earth Sciences, 8(9), 11–25. https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v8i9.13065

Issue

Vol. 8 , Iss. 9 (September 2026): In Progress

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Article

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Copyright © 2026 Mao Lin Yang

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

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