Application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process to Assessment of Water Inrush: A Case Study for the No. 17 Coal Seam in the Sanhejian Coal Mine, China

Disasters caused by water inrush affect many coal mines in China. In order to predict and prevent water inrushes during mining of the no. 17 coal seam in the Sanhejian coal mine, the factors that affect water inrush from the underlying Ordovician limestone were studied using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The AHP method is based on the geographic information system, through which the sub-thematic layer and the overlying layers of each dominating factor were constructed. An expert system was used to calculate weighting for each factor. Integration of the controlling factors through the AHP allowed us to develop a vulnerability index map in which the mining area was divided into different zones according to the risk level for water inrush during mining. Furthermore, water control measures were recommended in response to each risk level.