Authors: S.A. Kizilov, E.A. Balovnev, M.S. Nikitenko

Title of the article: MEMS accelerometer-based tracking of structural displacement in mining equipment

Year: 2026, Issue: 3, Pages: 36-46

Branch of knowledge: 2.5.9. Methods and devices for monitoring and diagnosing materials, products, substances and the natural environment

Index UDK: 622 + 53.087.92

DOI: 10.26730/1999-4125-2026-3-36-46

Abstract: The modern mineral resource industry faces various challenges driven by deteriorating mining and geological conditions and increasing extraction depths, which can lead to reduced productivity. Under such conditions, the implementation of automatic control systems for mining machinery and equipment becomes critically important to ensure the safety and efficiency of mining operations. Tracking the actual spatial position, as well as the actual loads on the structural elements of equipment, also remains a largely unresolved task. In this regard, this work is dedicated to the application of an array of microelectromechanical accelerometers (MEMS accelerometers) for the simultaneous monitoring of the actual spatial position and deflection of the beams in powered roof support sections. A relevant problem formulation is considered, involving the measurement of equipment element inclination angles with an error of less than 1°, occurring during the operation of the support hydraulic cylinders in real-time. The results of a series of experiments comparing the calculated data-measurements obtained with MEMS accelerometers-against reference values obtained through direct measurement methods are presented. Three methods for recalculating angular values into the projection of the vertical displacement of reference points onto the ordinate axis are proposed and compared. It is experimentally demonstrated that the application of the MEMS inclinometry method provides sufficient accuracy for recording beam deflections (error less than 1.5 mm) at inclination angles from 0.14°. The conclusion is drawn regarding the promising integration of MEMS inclinometers into the control system of the powered roof support for the early detection of undesirable deformations and spatial position monitoring.

Key words: powered roof support accelerometer automatic control system inclination angle spatial position

Receiving date: 30.05.2026

Approval date: 15.06.2026

Publication date: 27.08.2026

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