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Published

Pit prop

vr.tr.pit-prop · thing-q1550218

Let an agent describe pit props, their materials, use and history in mining, and point to mine safety rules.

Thing Registry Physical world and living systems PHY.BLT
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Prop Which support.

Material

Timber or steel.

Material

Material and species.

  1. What material is it? provenance
  2. Which timber species? provenance

Dimensions

Size.

Dimensions

Length and diameter.

  1. What are its length and diameter? measurement
  2. For which seam height? measurement
Use In the mine.

Setting

Installation.

Installation

Method.

  1. How was it set? provenance
  2. With cap pieces or wedges? provenance

Support plan

Spacing.

Support plan

Spacing and rule.

  1. What spacing was required? provenance
  2. By which rule? provenance
History Trade and replacement.

Trade

Timber supply.

Trade

Source and period.

  1. Where did props come from? provenance
  2. When? provenance

Replacement

Steel and hydraulic.

Replacement

Technology and date.

  1. When were timber props replaced? provenance
  2. By what? provenance
Safety Ground control.

Failure

Roof falls.

Failure

Event and cause.

  1. Which failures occurred? provenance
  2. Why? provenance

Rules

Regulation.

Rule

Law.

  1. Which ground support rules applied? provenance
  2. Who enforced them? provenance

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Physical world and living systems
Entry kind
thing
Plane
PHY
Domain
PHY.BLT

What it is Filled

A timber post used to support the roof of underground workings, especially in coal mines, typically a length of round softwood such as pine; largely replaced by steel and hydraulic supports.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent describe pit props, their materials, use and history in mining, and point to mine safety rules.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Some timber props creak or crack under load, historically valued as a warning, though warning is not guaranteed.
  • Steel arches, roof bolts and powered supports displaced much timber propping; timber remains in some applications.
  • Often pine or spruce; pit-prop timber was a major forestry trade, for example from Scandinavia to British coalfields.

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • encourage entering old mine workings

Only with a human decision

  • ground support design by qualified mining engineers

May

  • describe props and history

Moral aspects Filled

  • miner safety

Who is affected

  • miners

Owners Filled

Steward

the mine operator

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q29052406 - registry parent class

related

  • mine support - mining
  • coal mine - setting
  • steel and hydraulic props and roof bolts - modern supports
  • timber - material

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.pit-prop
  • Wikidata: Q1550218 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1550218)

Direct properties required Filled

  • length: about 0.6-2.7 m - British peeled props, 1964 Forestry Commission guidance
  • diameter-to-length ratio: about 1:12 - historical rule of thumb

Recognition required Filled

  • Vertical timber posts in old mine tunnels
  • Round timber posts, often with a cap piece, set between floor and roof in mine workings.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • describe materials and dimensions
  • describe historical use and trade
  • explain replacement by steel and hydraulic supports
  • point to mine safety rules

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Roof falls when supports fail
  • Decay of timber in old workings

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • Mine safety regulations on ground support, by jurisdiction

Context of use required Filled

  • Supporting mine roofs to prevent falls of ground.
  • round timber props
  • peeled and unpeeled props

Sources Filled

  1. Q1550218 - identity of the registry item, labels and sitelinks
  2. Pit prop - general description of the subject
  3. Forestry Practice, Bulletin 14, eighth edition - Round softwood mining timber, historical British dimensions, seasoning and variation in mine requirements.
  4. Props - Timber supports, spruce use and substantial Norwegian exports to English mines.
  5. Forestry Commission Journal 32 - Historical importance of pit-prop timber and its perceived warning function.
  6. Fundamentals of Coal Mine Roof Support - Timber and other standing supports, roof bolts, loading conditions and structural performance properties.

Open questions

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Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q1550218/spec.json