Faculty and Staff Anthony Iannacchione

Associate Professor

Email: ati2@pitt.edu
Phone: (412) 624-8289
Office: 1133 Benedum

Education

Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 1997
M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, 1990
M.S. Earth and Planetary Science, University of Pittsburgh, 1977
B.S. Geology, California State College, 1975

Research Interests:

Dr. Iannacchione is interested in applying his scientific and engineering expertise to solve problems in the mining industry and to transfer this knowledge/expertise through teaching, mentoring, educational outreach, and technical publications. He is currently responsible for a) directing research efforts to address health, safety, environmental, and productivity issues facing our nation’s mineral industry, b) teaching courses in support of the Mining Engineering Program, and c) developing a graduate level program in Mining Engineering. Prior to joining the University, Dr. Iannacchione served in numerous research positions at the US Bureau of Mines and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. He has also taught mining engineering classes at West Virginia University and Penn State University’s Eberly Campus.

Registration

Professional Engineer, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1996-present
Professional Geologist, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1994-present

Recent Special Assignments

Participated in an Expert Panel on Seismic Monitoring Applicable to Deep Coal Mines convened by the University of Utah to 1) evaluate and summarize the value of seismic monitoring to mining-induced seismicity and 2) explore the costs and practical benefits of seismic monitoring with in-mine and regional array scales, Salt Lake City, Oct. 19-22, 2008.
Participated as an invited member of MSHA’s Crandall Canyon post multiple fatality investigation panel. Eight experts were brought together after the 2nd fatal event (the failed rescue attempt) to provide MSHA with recommendations concerning the rescue efforts at the Crandall Canyon Mine.
3. Served on the National Science Foundation’s committee to select the Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL), Washington, D.C. Three meetings were attended. The initial meeting was in Washington on February 7-9, 2007. A second reverse site visit was made from March 8-18, 2007. Each of the four proposed sites was visited (Cascade DUSEL, Homestake DUSEL, Henderson DUSEL and Sudan DUSEL). A third meeting was held in Washington on April 19-22, 2007 where the DUSEL site was selected. A final report was written and submitted to NSF.

Publications:

Authored 55 papers published in conferences and symposiums, trade journals, and USBM/NIOSH publication series, dealing with a variety of technical issues. In addition, authored 21 abstracts and 26 unpublished reports and co-authored 25 papers. Twenty of these papers were subjected to intense outside agent peer-review.

Recent Publications:

Iannacchione, A., Varley F. and Brady T., (2008). “The Application of Major Hazard Risk Assessment (MHRA) to Eliminate Multiple Fatality Occurrences in the US Minerals Industry,” NIOSH Numbered Publication, 2008, 133 p., in Press.
Bajpayee, T., Iannacchione, A., and Prosser, L. (2008). “Monitoring Techniques to Anticipate Roof Falls in Underground Stone Mines’” NIOSH Numbered Publication, 2008, in Review.
Iannacchione, A. (2008). “Coal Mine Bursts Prevention Controls,” 27th International Conference on Ground Control in Mining, Morgantown, WV, July 29-31.
Bajpayee, T., Iannacchione, A., and Schilling, S. (2008). “Detecting Strata Fracturing and Roof Failures From a Borehole Based Microseismic System,” 27th International Conference on Ground Control in Mining, Morgantown, WV, July 29-31, 2008.
Iannacchione, A., Prosser, L., Esterhuizen, G., and Bajpayee, T. (2007). “Methods for Determining Roof Fall Risk in Underground Mines” Mining Engineering, Vol. 59, No. 11, November, 2007, pp. 47-53 and SME Annual Meeting, Preprint 07-090, Denver, CO, Feb.26-28, 2007, 8 p.
Iannacchione, A., Esterhuizen, G., and Tadolini, S. (2007). “Using Major Hazard Risk Assessment to Appraise and Manage Escapeway Instability Issues: A Case Study”, 26th Intl. Conference on Ground Control in Mining, Morgantown, WV, July 31-Aug. 2, 2007, pp. 354-360.
Iannacchione, A., Esterhuizen, G., Prosser, L., and Bajpayee, T. (2007). “Technique to assess hazards in underground stone mines: the roof-fall-risk index (RFRI)”, Mining Engineering, Vol. 59, No.1, January, 2007, pp. 49-57.
Murphy, M., Iannacchione, A., Westman, E., and Chapman, M. (2007). “Analysis of Seismic Signatures from Gas and Dust Based Explosions at the Lake Lynn Experimental Mine”, PreprintSME Annual Meeting, Feb. 24-27, 2007, Salt Lake City, UT.
Esterhuizen, G., Dolinar, D., Ellenberger, J., Prosser, L, and Iannacchione, A. (2007). “Roof Stability Issues in Underground Limestone Mines in the United States”, 26th International Conference on Ground Control in Mining, Morgantown, WV, July 31-Aug. 2, 2007, pp. 320-327.
Iannacchione, A., Esterhuizen, G., Schilling, S., and Goodwin, T. (2006). “Field Verification of the Roof Fall Risk Index: A Method to Assess Strata Conditions,” (2006), 25th Intl. Conference on Ground Control in Mining, Morgantown, WV, Aug. 1-3, 2006, pp. 128-137.
Iannacchione, A., Esterhuizen, G., Prosser, L., and Bajpayee, T. (2006). “Assessing Roof Fall Hazards for Underground Stone Mines: A Proposed Methodology”, SME Preprint 06-59 SME Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO, March 27-29, 2006, 12 p.
Esterhuizen, G., Iannacchione, A., Ellenberger, J., and Dolinar, D. (2006). ,“Pillar Stability Issues Based on a Survey of Pillar Performance in Underground Limestone Mines”, 25th Intl. Conference on Ground Control in Mining, Morgantown, WV, Aug. 1-3, 2006, pp. 354-361.
Iannacchione, A. and Bajpayee, T. (2005). “Forecasting Roof Falls with Monitoring Technologies – A Look at the Moonee Colliery Experience”, Proceedings of the 24th International Ground Control Conference, Morgantown, WV, Aug. 2-4, 2005, pp. 44-51.
Iannacchione, A., Esterhuizen, G., Bajpayee, T., Swanson, P., and Chapman, M. (2005). “Characteristics of Mining-Induced Seismicity Associated with Roof Falls and Roof Caving Events”, Proceedings of the 40th U.S. Symposium on Rock Mechanics, ARMA/USRMS paper 05-678, Anchorage, AK, June 27-29, 2005.
Iannacchione, A., Chapman, M., and Burke, L. (2005). “Characterising Roof Fall Signatures from Underground Mines”, 6th International Symposium on Rockburst and Seismicity in Mines Proceedings, , March 9-11, 2005, Perth, Australia, pp. 619-629.
Iannacchione, A., Coyle, P., Prosser, L., Marshall, T., and Litsenberger, J. (2004). “Relationship of Roof Movement and Strata Induced Microseismic Emissions to Roof Falls”, Mining Engineering, December, 2004, pp. 53-60; also published as SME PrePrint #04-58, SME Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, Feb. 23-25 2004.
Iannacchione, A., Batchler, T., and Marshall, T. (2004). “Mapping Hazards with Microseismic Technology to Anticipate Roof Falls – A Case Study”, Proceedings of the 23rd Intern. Conf. on Ground Control, Morgantown, WV, Aug. 3-5, 2004, pp. 327-333.
Burke, L., Iannacchione, A., and Barczak, T. (2004). “Numerical Modeling for Increased Understanding of the Behavior and Performance of Coal Mine Stoppings”, Proceedings of the 23rd International Ground Control Conference, Morgantown, WV, Aug. 3-5, 2004, pp. 112-118.
Esterhuizen, G. and Iannacchione, A. (2004). “Investigation of Pillar-Roof Contact Failure in Northern Appalachian Stone Mine Workings”, Proceedings of the 23rd International Ground Control Conference, Morgantown, WV, Aug. 3-5, 2004, pp. 320-326.

Presentations:

Delivered over 80 formal and 40 informal presentations covering a wide variety of topics.

Scientific Meetings Attended:

Participated in over 100 scientific meetings covering a wide variety of topics including: Energy, Geology, Civil Engineering, Rock Mechanics, Mining, and Public Health Issues.