FROM PEAT BOG TO LIGNITE SEAM: A NEW METHOD TO CALCULATE THE CONSOLIDATION COEFFICIENT OF LIGNITE SEAMS, WIELKOPOLSKA REGION IN CENTRAL POLAND

Abstract

Only one quantitative method is described in the literature to estimate the consolidation coefficient of lignite seams. More studies concentrate on the compaction of plant tissues, which explains why the obtained results are overestimated. Moreover, most studies do commonly not determine the consolidation of the whole peat bog but usually those of some of its elements only. We propose a new approach, which conceptually is fairly close to the Hager et al. (Fortschr Geol Rheinld Westf 29:319–352, 1981) method. Our method has been tested on an example of the first Middle-Polish Lignite Seam and the second Lusatian Lignite Seam from some Wielkopolska lignite deposits in central Poland. The consolidation coefficients, C c, range between 2.34 and 2.56 for the second Lusatian Lignite Seam and between 1.80 and 2.14 for the first Middle-Polish Lignite Seam.