The exploitation of extra thick coal seams (ETCSs) has been emphasized in the Chinese coal industry. However, the strata movement and ground pressure under the mining conditions of an ETCS constitute a complex problem that urgently requires comprehensive understanding and efficient solution. With the background of the working face of the Tashan Coal Mine (Shanxi, China), a physical simulation test and numerical study based on the discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) are conducted to investigate the aforementioned problem. The movement of the overlying strata is first observed and discussed based on physical simulation. Next, a quantitative comparative analysis of the displacement field and stress field are carried out. The conclusions are as follows: (1) in the process of the ETCSs mining, the evolution of strata structure can be summarized into four patterns, namely, the simply supported beam pattern, the multi-simply supported beam pattern, the cantilever beam pattern, and the multi-cantilever beam pattern. (2) The fractal dimension can provide a quantitative expression for the structural evolution of the strata. The fractal dimension indicates that the fracture of the immediate roof and key stratum may significantly trigger the movement of the strata. (3) Based on the integration of DDA and physical simulation, the movement of the key stratum can be divided into three stages, namely, the stable stage, the fracture stage, and the compaction stage. The displacement of other strata is generally dominated by these three stages. (4) The mining disturbances and constraint reaction of the adjacent rock mass are responsible for the direction and magnitude evolution of stress in the key stratum. The gradual and full release of vertical stress of the key stratum indicates that the direction of the principal stress may change from horizontal and vertical to only horizontal. Moreover, the constraint reaction of the fractured rock mass causes a rapid increase in stress of the key stratum. (5) The movement of key stratum significantly impacts the pressure propagation. The stress in front of the working face accumulates sharply under such an effect and then shows a moderate increase with the sufficiency of the relative movement of the adjacent rock mass and release of the stress of the key stratum. These results indicate that the movement of the key stratum may be the underlying reason for the ground pressure.
AbstractSection Article highlights-
The structure evolution of the overlying strata under the mining disturbances is qualitatively summarized and quantitatively described.
-
The inherent relation and intrinsic influence between the key stratum movement and ground pressure during the mining process is revealed.
-
The role of the key stratum for the pressure propagation and ground pressure behaviors is clarified and discussed.
References
Bobet A, Fakhimi A, Johnson S, Morris J, Tonon F, Yeung MR (2009) Numerical models in discontinuous media: review of advances for rock mechanics applications. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 135:1547–1561
Dai L, Pan Y, Li Z, Wang A, Xiao Y, Liu F, Shi T, Zheng W (2021) Quantitative mechanism of roadway Rockbursts in deep extra-thick coal seams: theory and case histories. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 111:103861
Fu X, Sheng Q, Zhang Y, Chen J (2015) Investigations of the sequential excavation and reinforcement of an underground cavern complex using the discontinuous deformation analysis method. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 50:79–93
Gao Y, Gao F, Yeung MR (2019) Modeling large displacement of rock block and a work face excavation of a coal mine based on discontinuous deformation analysis and finite deformation theory. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 92:103048
Gao R, Huo B, Xia H, Meng X (2020b) Numerical simulation on fracturing behaviour of hard roofs at different levels during extra-thick coal seam mining. R Soc Open Sci 7:191383
Gao F, Stead D, Kang H (2015) Numerical simulation of squeezing failure in a Coal Mine Roadway due to Mining-Induced Stresses. Rock Mech Rock Eng 48:1635–1645
Gao R, Yang J, Kuang T, Liu H (2020) Investigation on the ground pressure induced by hard roof fracturing at different layers during extra thick coal seam mining. Geofluids 2020:8834235
Hong Y, Zhang JX, Li LY, Feng RM, Li TT (2018) Prediction of upper limit position of bedding separation overlying a coal roadway within an extra-thick coal seam. J Cent South Univ 25:448–460
Ju J, Xu J (2013) Structural characteristics of key strata and strata behaviour of a fully mechanized longwall face with 7.0m height chocks. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 58:46–54
Konicek P, Waclawik P (2018) Stress changes and seismicity monitoring of hard coal longwall mining in high rockburst risk areas. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 81:237–251
Kuang T, Li Z, Zhu W, Xie J, Ju J, Liu J, Xu J (2019) The impact of key strata movement on ground pressure behaviour in the Datong coalfield. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 119:193–204
Li Z, Xu, Jialin, Ju J, Zhu W, Xu, Jingmin (2018) The effects of the rotational speed of voussoir beam structures formed by key strata on the ground pressure of stopes. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 108:67–79
Liu XS, Tan YL, Ning JG, Lu YW, Gu QH (2018) Mechanical properties and damage constitutive model of coal in coal-rock combined body. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 110:140–150
Lv H, Cheng Z, Liu F (2021) Study on the mechanism of a new fully mechanical mining method for extremely thick coal seam. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 142:104788
Ma K, Liu G, Xu N, Zhang Z, Feng B (2021) Motion characteristics of rockfall by combining field experiments and 3D discontinuous deformation analysis. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 138:104591
Mondal D, Roy P, Behera PK (2017) Use of correlation fractal dimension signatures for understanding the overlying strata dynamics in longwall coal mines. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 91:210–221
Ning Y, Yang J, Ma G, Chen P (2011) Modelling rock blasting considering explosion gas penetration using discontinuous deformation analysis. Rock Mech Rock Eng 44:483–490
Pan W, Nie X, Li X (2019) Effect of premining on hard roof distress behavior: a case study. Rock Mech Rock Eng 52:1871–1885
Pan C, Xia BW, Zuo YJ, Yu B, Ou CN (2022) Mechanism and control technology of strong ground pressure behaviour induced by high-position hard roofs in extra-thick coal seam mining. Int J Min Sci Technol 32:499–511
Peng RD, Yang YC, Ju Y, Mao LT, Yang YM (2011) Computation of fractal dimension of rock pores based on gray CT images. Chin Sci Bull 56:3346–3357
Qian MG, Zhao GJ (1987) The behavior of the main roof fracture in longwall mining and its effect on roof pressure. In: The 28th U.S. symposium on rock mechanics (USRMS), Tucson, Arizona
Ranjith PG, Zhao J, Ju MH, De Silva RVS, Rathnaweera TD, Bandara AKMS (2017) Opportunities and challenges in deep mining: a brief review. Engineering 3:546–551
Shen WL, Bai JB, Li WF, Wang XY (2018) Prediction of relative displacement for entry roof with weak plane under the effect of mining abutment stress. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 71:309–317
Shi GH, Goodman RE (1985) Two dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis. Int J Numer Anal Methods Geomech 9:541–556
Shi GH (1988) Discontinuous deformation analysis-A new numerical model for the statics and dynamics of block systems. University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley
Su SJ, Hou P, Gao F, Gao YN, Cai CZ, Zhang ZZ, Liang X (2022) A fractal perspective on structural damage and fracture characteristics of coal subjected to liquid nitrogen cooling at laboratory-scale. Fractals Complex Geom Patterns Scaling Nat Soc 30:2250080
Sun B, Zhang P, Wu R, Fu M, Ou Y (2021) Research on the overburden deformation and migration law in deep and extra-thick coal seam mining. J Appl Geophys 190:104337
Sun YT, Bi RY, Sun JB, Zhang JF, Taherdangkoo R, Huang JD, Li GC (2022) Stability of roadway along hard roof goaf by stress relief technique in deep mines: a theoretical, numerical and field study, vol 8. Geomechanics and geophysics for geo-energy and geo-resources, p 45
Tai Y, Xia H, Kuang T (2020) Failure characteristics and control technology for large-section chamber in compound coal seams—a case study in Tashan Coal Mine. Energy Sci Eng 8:1353–1369
Wang Y, He M, Yang J, Wang Q, Liu J, Tian X, Gao Y (2020) Case study on pressure-relief mining technology without advance tunneling and coal pillars in longwall mining. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 97:103236
Wang G, Xu Y, Ren H (2019) Intelligent and ecological coal mining as well as clean utilization technology in China: Review and prospects. Int J Min Sci Technol 29:161–169
Wei Y, Lu C, Lin B, Zhang J, Lin M, Hao W (2019) Tunnelling outburst potential affected by mechanical properties of coal seam. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 83:99–112
Xiang Z, Zhang N, Xie Z, Guo F, Zhang C (2021) Cooperative control mechanism of long flexible bolts and blasting pressure relief in hard roof roadways of extra-thick coal seams: a case study. Appl Sci 11:4125
Xie HP, Ju Y, Gao F, Gao MZ, Zhang R (2017) Groundbreaking theoretical and technical conceptualization of fluidized mining of deep underground solid mineral resources. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 67:68–70
Xie HP (1993) Fractals in rock mechanics. A.A. Balkema
Xie J, Gao MZ, Zhang R, Tan SW, Qiu Q (2016) Lessons learnt from measurements of vertical pressure at a top coal mining face at Datong Tashan Mines, China. In: Rock mechanics and rock engineering, vol 49, pp 2977–2983
Yang S, Song G, Yang J (2020) An analytical solution for the geometric broken characteristics of the overlying strata and its physical modeling study in longwall coal mining. Arab J Geosci 13:139
Yasitli NE, Unver B (2005) 3D numerical modeling of longwall mining with top-coal caving. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 42:219–235
Ye Q, Wang G, Jia Z, Zheng C, Wang W (2018) Similarity simulation of mining-crack-evolution characteristics of overburden strata in deep coal mining with large dip. J Petrol Sci Eng 165:477–487
Yu B, Gao R, Kuang T, Huo B, Meng X (2019) Engineering study on fracturing high-level hard rock strata by ground hydraulic action. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 86:156–164
Yu B, Liu CY, Liu JR (2014) Mechanism and control technology of pressure occurrence in roadway with extra thickness and mechanized caving coal seam in Datong mining area. Chin J Rock Mech Eng 33:1863–1872
Yu B, Zhang Z, Kuang T, Liu J (2016) Stress changes and deformation monitoring of longwall coal pillars located in weak ground. Rock Mech Rock Eng 49:3293–3305
Yuan L, Peng S (2017) Proceedings of 36th international conference on ground control in mining (China 2017). China University of Mining and Technology Press, p 1
Yun D, Liu Z, Cheng W, Fan Z, Wang D, Zhang Y (2017) Monitoring strata behavior due to multi-slicing top coal caving longwall mining in steeply dipping extra thick coal seam. Int J Min Sci Technol 27:179–184
Zhang R, Ai T, Zhou HW, Ju Y, Zhang ZT (2015) Fractal and volume characteristics of 3D mining-induced fractures under typical mining layouts. Environ Earth Sci 73:6069–6080
Zhang NB, Liu CY, Chen BB (2018) A case study of presplitting blasting parameters of hard and massive roof based on the interaction between support and overlying strata. Energies 11:1363
Zhang Q, Liu Y, Dai F, Jiang RC (2022) Experimental assessment on the fatigue mechanical properties and fracturing mechanism of sandstone exposed to freeze-thaw treatment and cyclic uniaxial compression. Eng Geol 306:106724
Zhang C, Tu S (2016) Control technology of direct passing karstic collapse pillar in longwall top-coal caving mining. Nat Hazards 84:17–34
Zhang Z, Xie H, Zhang R, Gao M, Zha E (2020) Size and spatial fractal distributions of coal fracture networks under different mining-induced stress conditions. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 132:104364
Zhang Q, Yue J, Liu C, Feng C, Li H (2019) Study of automated top-coal caving in extra-thick coal seams using the continuum-discontinuum element method. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 122:104033
Zhao GF, Ma G, Fan L, Sasaki T (2021) Foreword: Recent advancement of computational methods for tunneling and underground construction. Tunnel Undergr Space Technol 114:103998
Zhao Z, Tao S, Tang D, Chen S, Ren P (2020) A mathematical method to identify and forecast coal texture of multiple and thin coal seams by using logging data in the Panguan syncline, western Guizhou, China. J Petrol Sci Eng 185:106616
Zhao T, Zhang Z, Tan Y, Shi C, Wei P, Li Q (2014) An innovative approach to thin coal seam mining of complex geological conditions by pressure regulation. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 71:249–257
Zhu GQ, Feng XT, Zhou YY, Li ZW, Fu LJ, Xiong YR (2020) Physical model experimental study on spalling failure around a tunnel in synthetic marble. Rock Mech Rock Eng 53:909–926
Zuo JP, Peng SP, Li YJ, Chen ZH, Xie HP (2009) Investigation of karst collapse based on 3-D seismic technique and DDA method at Xieqiao coal mine, China. Int J Coal Geol 78:276–287
Acknowledgements
This project is supported by the National key research and development program (2022YFC2904102), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51827901), Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education (DESE202106) and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Sciences and Geothermal Energy Exploitation and Utilization (2020-3). The authors acknowledge the supports of the above-mentioned Funding Agencies.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declared that there is no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Gao, Y., Lan, D., Zhang, Y. et al. The strata movement and ground pressure under disturbances from extra thick coal seam mining: a case study of a Coal Mine in China. Geomech. Geophys. Geo-energ. Geo-resour. 8, 199 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-022-00506-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-022-00506-y