Mining with Filling for Mitigating Overburden Failure and Water Inrush Due to Coalmining

Abstract

This paper investigates the heights of overburden failure with cut-and-fill mining method using empirical formula, scaled model tests and numerical simulations. An equivalent cutting height was proposed for calculating overburden failure with formulas and from measurement data. Scale model tests and numerical simulations show that the heights of caving zone and water flow fractured zone due to mining with filling decreased obviously compared to those due to caving mining. The results also indicate that mining with filling method has protective function for overlaid unconsolidated clay and sand layers.