Study on Stability and Control of Surrounding Rock in the Stopping Space with Fully Mechanized Top Coal Caving under Goaf

Abstract

Under the condition of fully mechanized top coal caving in close-distance coal seams, the surrounding rock of the stopping space easily loses stability during the withdrawal of mining equipment in the working face because the lower coal seam working face is located under the goaf and the overburden rock has a large range of complex interaction. Field investigation, theoretical analysis, laboratory experiment, similar simulation experiment, numerical simulation, and field industrial tests are used to carry out the research on the stability and control of the surrounding rock in the large section stopping space under the goaf in this paper. The research conclusions are as follows. (1) It is determined that the lower coal seam working face can only stop mining under the goaf, and the reasonable stopping position under the goaf should ensure that the key block fracture line of the main roof is behind the support. (2) The interaction law between the main roof’s key blocks of the upper and lower coal seams is analyzed, and the catastrophic conditions for sliding instability and rotary instability of the main roof’s key blocks of the upper and lower coal seams are obtained. (3) “Anchorage with push and pull equipment-Embedded anchorages and trays” integral anchoring technology is developed. The dimensions of the push and pull equipment are determined. (4) Through numerical simulation of the distribution characteristics of the anchor cable pre-stress field, the asymmetric control scheme of “Partition long and short anchor cables + Integral polyurethane mesh + Embedded anchorages and trays for roof protection” is determined. The rock pressure observation shows that the withdrawal of the working face equipment is implemented safely.