The work is devoted to the topic of researching the operation of a cooling tower in winter as a result of contact with cold air, when problems of freezing of its head wall arise. A methodic for calculating a cooling tower and an innovative way to improve its efficiency are proposed.

Mining technological solutions for underground mining of offbalance gypsum reserves in difficult mining and geological conditions were justified. An analysis of typical geological disturbances of gypsum seams is carried out using the Artemivsk deposit (Ukraine) as an example. Physical and mechanical properties of rocks in disturbed zones are determined. A quantitative assessment of strength characteristics of rocks during their moistening is carried out. The minimum permissible values of the width of the tape pillar and the power of the protective stack above the camera in the presence of a violation in the roof are calculated. The use of selective mining of the lower part of the seam by combines of the “Roadheader” type is recommended. The maximum width and height of the chamber are determined by the type of combine. The technology has been tested and realized at the gypsum mine of the Additional Liability Company “Siniat”.

The article presents a comparison of the values of the soil deformability characteristics obtained at different densities of the sand base based on the results of laboratory tests3 and the results of computer modeling, using the software systems "ANSYS" and "Plaxis 3D".It was found that for loose sandy soils, at densities of 1.48 – 1.53 g/cm 3, close to experimental values of the deformation modulus were obtained using a three-dimensional finite-element model of polylinear isotropic hardening "PLAS (Miso)," in the program "ANSYS." For average density bases at ρ = 1.55 – 1.66 g/cm3 minimum differences between experimental and numerical values were obtained using the «Plaxis 3D» complex.

The purpose of the work is the development and implementation of methods and monitoring equipment and diagnostics of the mine workings roof state of non-metallic deposits for providing of long safety operation of large section chambers. The task was solved by the organization and performance of geomechanical monitoring of working roofs state. Experience of a three-level system monitoring creation on the gypsum deposit in the city Bakhmut (Ukraine) is described. Monitoring included visual inspection, filing of roof deformations and vibroacoustic diagnostics. Examples of the long overseeing results by dangerous sites of the working roof are given.