Canbulat, I.Van der Merwe, J.N.2010-03-082010-03-082009-02Canbulat, I & Van der Merwe, JN 2009, 'Design of optimum roof support systems in South African collieries using a probabilistic design approach', Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, vol. 108, no. 2, pp. 71-88. [http://www.saimm.co.za/]0038-223Xhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/13333When designing coal mine roof support, it is necessary to account for the uncertainties and variability that inherently exist within the rock mass and support elements. The performance of a support system is affected by these uncertainties, which are not taken into account in the current deterministic design methodologies used in South Africa. The key to the design of a roof support system is a better understanding of roof behaviour and uncertainties that can be encountered during extraction. This paper sets out to develop a method that takes all uncertainties that exist within the rock mass and the mining process into account and provides a quantitative risk-based design methodology.enSouthern African Institute of Mining and MetallurgyRoof support systemsVariabilityCoal mines and mining -- South Africa -- Safety measuresUncertainty (Information theory)Rock mechanics -- Research -- South AfricaProbabilitiesArticle