Research and application of Gob-Side entry retaining with roof presplitting under residual coal pillar of upper coal seam

Abstract

In the mining of close coal seam, the stress concentration under the residual coal pillar in the upper coal seam leads to serious deformation to roadway surrounding rock in the lower coal seam. Hence, it poses a huge challenge to the maintenance of entry surrounding rock. Based on this, an approach of entry surrounding rock control technology, directional pre-splitting, and roof-cutting pressure relief, was applied. The stress and deformation of entry surrounding rock utilizing directional pre-splitting and roof-cutting pressure relief were studied by numerical simulation and field test The results indicated that the depth of stress concentration under the residual coal pillar achieve 44 m. With the application of the roof presplitting, the vertical stress of the entry roof decreased. Utilizing the roof presplitting with a height of 7 m and an angle of 15°, the gangue filled the goaf and supported the overlying strata. Meanwhile, the surrounding rock of entry was controlled with a constant resistance anchor cable (9 m length) and gangue prevention support structure. Through field test monitoring, the roof pressure and the deformation of surrounding rock increases rapidly at 30 ∼ 110 m behind the working face. From 110 ∼ 160 m, the increased rate of roof pressure and surrounding rock deformation gradually slows down and tends to be stable at 160 m behind the working face. The maximum displacement of the roof to the floor is 511 mm, and the maximum displacement of the gangue rock wall to coal wall is 421 mm. The remaining roadway meets the demand of the adjacent working face.