Research

The MERIT Center conducts basic and applied research on mine safety and miner self-escape during mine emergencies. The Center also provides training to industry using best-practices derived from its research efforts. It also engages stakeholders through its advisory board to achieve its goals.

Research Funding

The Center has two major fundings from CDC – NIOSH (CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION – NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH):

1. CDC-NIOSH AWARD NO.: U60OH012350 (Title: Research, Technological Innovations and Human Factors for Effective Miner Self-Escape from Underground Mine Emergencies)
2. CDC-NIOSH AWARD NO.: U60OH012685 (Title: Research and Technological Innovations in Automation, Robotics, and Intelligent Mining Systems for Transformative Improvements in Workplace Safety, Health, and Efficiencies)

PUBLICATIONS

• Goyal, A., S.Madria and S.Frimpong. (2023). A DTN-Based Spatio-Temporal Routing using Location Prediction Model in Underground Mines. ICDCN ’23: Proceedings of the 24th Int. Conf. on Distributed Computing and Networking. https://doi.org/10.1145/3571306.3571439 (January 04): 378 – 383. https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2207&context=comsci_facwork
• Kumara, Ashish Ranjan*, Oluwafemi Salami, Nana A. Amoah, and Guang Xu. (2024) “Comparative Analysis of Different CFD Turbulence Models for a Diesel Pool Combustion Event in an Underground Mine: A Case Study.” International Journal of Mining, Reclamation and Environment. https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2207&context=comsci_facwork
• Goyal, A., Madria, S., & Frimpong, S. (2023). A DTN System for Tracking Miners using GAE-LSTM and Contact Graph Routing in an Underground Mine. Proceedings of the Int. ACM Symposium on Mobility Management and Wireless Access (MobiWac ’23), ACM, New York, NY (October 30-November 3): 4 p. https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2388&context=comsci_facwork
• Goyal, A., S.Madria and S.Frimpong. (2022). MinerFinder: A GAE-LSTM Method for Predicting Location of Miners in Underground Mine, in ACM SigSpatial. USA. https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3557915.3561024
• Gyawu, E. A., Awuah-Offei, K. And Baker, D.A. (2022). Miner-centered approach to understanding the technology needs for self-escape in underground coal mine emergencies. SME Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/min_nuceng_facwork/1661/
• O. B. Salami et al., “Enhancing Fire Safety In Underground Mines: Experimental And Large Eddy Simulation Of Temperature Attenuation, Gas Evolution, And Bifurcation Influence For Improved Emergency Response,” Process Safety and Environmental Protection, vol. 183, pp. 260 – 273, Elsevier, Mar 2024. https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/min_nuceng_facwork/1746/
• Pushparaj, Robert Ilango, Ashish Ranjan Kumar, and Guang Xu. (2023). “Enhancing safety in lithium-ion batteries with additive-based liquid electrolytes: A critical review.”  Journal of Energy Storage 72 (D):1-15 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352152X2301890X
• Salami, Oluwafemi B.*, Guang Xu, Ashish Ranjan Kumar, and Robert Ilango Pushparaj. (2023). “Underground mining fire hazards and the optimization of emergency evacuation strategies (EES): The issues, existing methodology and limitations, and way forward.”  Process Safety and Environmental Protection 177:617-634. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S095758202300602X
• Robert Pushparaj, Guang Xu, Aamir Iqbal and Salami Oluwafemi. (2023) “Characterization and preliminary assessment of diesel fire prior to setting up large size battery fire experiment.” 19th North American Mine Ventilation Symposium, June 17-22, 2023, Rapid City, South Dakota. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.1201/9781003429241/underground-ventilation-purushotham-tukkaraja
• Aamir Iqbal, Guang Xu, Robert Pushparaj, and Salami Oluwafemi. (2023) ” Analysis of Small-Scale LIB under thermal abuse.” 19th North American Mine Ventilation Symposium, June 17-22, 2023, Rapid City, South Dakota. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.1201/9781003429241-59/analysis-small-scale-lithium-ion-batteries-thermal-abuse-iqbal-xu-pushparaj-salami?context=ubx&refId=90f579dd-8e99-429b-aa62-0d8eb1c81422
• Salami Oluwafemi, Guang Xu, Ashish Kumar, Robert Pushparaj and Aamir Iqbal. (2023) “Fire-induced temperature attenuation under the influence of a single ceiling smoke extraction point in a bifurcated drift.” 19th North American Mine Ventilation Symposium, June 17-22, 2023, Rapid City, South Dakota. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.1201/9781003429241-42/fire-induced-temperature-attenuation-influence-single-ceiling-smoke-extraction-point-bifurcated-drift-salami-xu-kumar-pushparaj-iqbal?context=ubx&refId=53c33a79-4ec9-42c1-972c-5c1c2ea0b098