Numerical analysis of buildings located on the edge of the post-mining basin

The rim of a post-exploitation basin is a particularly dangerous zone for buildings. This is due to the impact of mining on the nearby buildings, which persists even after exploitation activities are finished. The rim of the basin remains constantly deformed. This paper presents numerical analyses of buildings located in Marklowice (Silesian Voivodeship, Poland). They are located in an area that was exploited for mining, above the initial exploitation edge on the rim of the basin. The area of the analysed buildings was geodetically monitored during mining works. The results of the measurements allowed the observation of changes in terrain deformation indicators, together with the determination of the settlement’s final values after the operation was completed. Knowledge of the results enabled the preparation of numerical analyses of buildings with the use of the finite element method (FEM), the purpose of which was to determine the residual stresses in the structures after the end of the exploitation. The results are presented in the form of stress maps, which show changes in the internal forces in buildings left by mining operations. Specific examples are used. Two residential two-storey buildings were analysed; they were built using traditional brick methods, with a single-storey outbuilding. All of the analysed buildings are located in the mining commencement zone, in which the deformation of the surface has not faded away.