Ensuring the safety of residential buildings in the zone of underground mining influence is a serious and urgent problem. Field development experience shows that even careful laying of the developed space does not exclude the deformation processes in buildings and structures. At the same time factors such as seismic impact of explosions during mining, soil condition, natural geodynamic processes, natural aging of buildings play a certain role in the development of deformations. To differentiate the key role of the influence of factors on the causes of building deformations in one of the copper ore deposits in the part-time zone of which there were about 600 residential structures surveys of their damage were carried out. The results of the survey were analyzed using a geo-information system which in one coordinate system connects the localization of influencing factors and damage. The data about damages are compared with forecast estimates of the displacement process, seismic impact and geodynamic aspects. An attempt to study the integrated influence of natural and technogenic factors on buildings located in the undermined territories was made.

Unexpected abnormal deformation processes in rock masses lead to disruptions in the operation of mining facilities and endanger human life and health. The studies show that physiographic conditions, physical and mechanical properties of rocks, features of structural and tectonic structure of the rock mass can influence the unexpected character of the deformation phenomena. One of the important parameters that determines the development of catastrophic deformation processes is the geodynamic activity of the rock mass, which forms its stress state. The purpose of the research is to develop methodological approaches to identification of potentially hazardous areas in the rock mass. To do this, experimental studies were carried out in a mine where unexpected abnormal deformations took place, and the role of influencing factors was analyzed. Experiments were performed using geological, geophysical and geodetic methods. As the result of the study, it was established that unexpected emergency deformation processes develop in areas where the maximum number of complicating factors is concentrated. A rating evaluation of the area of surface development has been developed based on a combination of factors affecting the stability of the rock mass. The developed approaches make it possible to diagnose the rock mass and identify areas where geomechanical processes develop according to special parameters. Area zoning can be the basis for the development of automated monitoring system of rock mass deformations to prevent unexpected emergency events.

The area of deformation of the earth’s surface from underground mine workings is generally called the undermined territory. However, the conditions for undermining the surface are very diverse, and therefore the surface deformation takes place with a wide range of features. This creates difficulties for determining the possibility of development, expertise in choosing safety measures, lack of unification of research methods and results, as well as a significant gap in the expectations of developers from the results of the study and design requests. Such gaps are due to the fact that it is impossible to build direct relationships between the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the displacement process, as well as to relate them to the structures of buildings. On the example of the study of the Shershnevskoye field by geophysical methods, structural changes of the surface layer to a depth of 12 m were evaluated. Identified areas of the alleged existence of old vertical and horizontal mine workings. The authors have proposed a solution to the relationship of the dependences of qualitative and quantitative characteristics by compiling ratings of the developed areas, which will provide a connection with the parametric characteristics of buildings and structures under construction. A number of necessary general and special safety measures are suggested for the operation of the developed areas from old mines.

The ground surface displacement under mining of the Sokolovo-Sarbai iron ore deposit is measured using radar survey data obtained over the period from 2006 to 2016. The purpose of the research is to determine features of the process inside the displacement trough of the Sokolovskaya Mine under conditions of water-encroached loose formations. Using a series of ALOS Palsar and ALOS-2 satellite radar images, the vertical subsidence in the test area of the deposit is evaluated. The history and boundaries of displacements within the displacement trough, in pitwalls and in dump slopes are determined.

In focus are special cases of distortion of buildings when heavy structural deformations were visually observed though instrumental monitoring showed low strain values. The experimental laser scanning of such deformations exhibited complex deformation patterns in horizontal planes of buildings. Aimed at determining causes of the nonlinear deformation of buildings and structures and preventing relevant accidents, the integrated monitoring technology is offered based on taking into account stress–strain state and block structure of rock mass under the buildings.

The article reports the underground mining-induced movement monitoring using a combination of geodesy survey and geophysical exploration methods in Vysokogorsky Iron Ore Mine where a geodynamic movement has occurred. The geodesy survey methods are the conventional observation of the daylight surface deformation and the spectral seismic profiling of changes in the undermined rock mass structure. The monitoring objective was to find spatial parameters of disintegrated rock zone, to make recommendations on continuing mining operations in the subsidence trough zone where protected objects are situated, and to identify causes of the enclosing rock instability.