JESSICA WEMPEN portrait
  • Associate Professor, Mining Engineering
801-585-5176

Research Statement

Dr. Wempen’s research team applies remote sensing technologies including hyperspectral imaging and radar interferometry for mine and environmental monitoring. Recently, she led a collaborative project focused on applying satellite imaging technology and seismic monitoring to improve ground control safety. Research on this project included monitoring seismic velocity changes in a coal pillar using a small seismic array, monitoring subsidence and comparing mine subsidence development and underground mine advance over short periods, and evaluating regional characteristics of mining-induced seismicity. Dr. Wempen has also contributed to the Carbon Ore, Rare Earth, and Critical Minerals (CORECM) project Transforming Uinta Basin Earth Materials for Advanced Products and focused on assessing technology to contribute to innovative, sustainable mining.

Research Keywords

  • Seismicity
  • Rock Mechanics
  • Remote Sensing
  • Mining Engineering
  • Interferometry

Presentations

  • Experimental evaluation of a two-entry gate-road yield pillar: seismic data preparation. Co-authors: Weyher, R.D., Chambers, D.J.A., McCarter, M.K., Coons, D.J., and Wempen, J.M. Poster, Presented, 02/25/2020.
  • Academic Choices: Transitioning from Industry to Research and Teaching. 2019 SME Annual Conference & Expo., Denver, CO, February 24–27. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 02/2019.
  • Short period subsidence monitoring – preliminary results. Utah State University Coal Symposium, Price, Utah, October 19. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 10/2017.
  • Effective application of synthetic aperture radar interferometry for monitoring mine subsidence in the mountain west United States. SME Preprint No. 17-049. Englewood, CO: SME. Conference Paper, Presented, 02/2017.
  • Subsidence and seismicity in the western United States, SME Utah Section Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, October 20. Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 10/2016.

Publications

  • Farhadmanesh M, Cross C., Mashhadi A.H., Rashidi A. & Wempen, J. (2021). Highway asset and pavement condition management using mobile photogrammetry. Transp. Res. Rec. Vol. 2021, 1-12. Published, 03/24/2021.
  • Bailey S. Simmons & Jessica M. Wempen (2021). Quantifying relationships between subsidence and longwall face advance using DInSAR. Int. J. Min. Sci. Technol. Vol. 31, 91-94. Published, 02/12/2021.
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmst.2020.12.021
  • Robert D. Weyher, McCarter, M.K. & Wempen, J.M. (2020). Energy partitioning following tensile failure in three-point loading tests of Navajo Sandstone specimens. Min. Metall. Explor. Published, 07/2020.
  • Simmons, B.S. & Wempen, J.M. (2020). Quantifying Relationships between Subsidence and Longwall Face Advance using DInSAR. Proceedings, 39th ICGCM. Published, 07/2020.
  • Wempen, J.M. (2019). Application of DInSAR for short period monitoring of initial subsidence due to longwall mining in the mountain west United States. Proceedings, 38th ICGCM. 357-363. Published, 07/2019.
  • Pariseau, W.G., McCarter, M.K. & Wempen, J.M. (2019). Comparison of closure measurements with finite element model results in an underground coal mine in central Utah. Int. J. Min. Sci. Technol. Vol. 29(1), 9–15. Published, 01/2019.
  • Pariseau, W.G., McCarter, M.K. & Wempen, J.M. (2018). Comparison of closure measurements with finite element model results in an underground coal mine in central Utah. Proceedings, 37th ICGCM. 112–121. Published, 07/2018.
  • Weyher, R.D., Wempen, J.M. & McCarter, M.K. (2018). Energy analysis of roof sag and fracture in stratified ground using beam theory: dynamic loading. 52nd US Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium. Published, 06/2018.
  • Weyher, R.D., Wempen, J.M. & McCarter, M.K. (2017). Energy analysis of roof sag and fracture in stratified ground using beam theory: static loading. 51st US Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium. Published, 06/2017.
  • Wempen, J.M. & McCarter, M.K. (2017). Comparison of L-band and X-band differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar for mine subsidence monitoring in central Utah. Int. J. Min. Sci. Technol. Vol. 27(1), 159-163. Published, 01/2017.
  • Wempen, J.M. & McCarter, M.K. (2016). Comparison of L-band and X-band differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar for mine subsidence monitoring in central Utah. Proceedings, 35th ICGCM. 316–321. Published, 07/2016.