Research on the temporal-spatial evolution of ground pressure at short-distance coal seams

Abstract

To study the temporal-spatial evolution of ground pressure at short-distance coal seams, this paper studied the displacement law of overlying strata and the temporal-spatial evolution of ground stress by analog simulation experiments. The results show when the upper coal seam is mined, overlying strata of the stope form three zones: the caved zone, the fractured zone and the bending subsidence zone. The caved zone which subsided in the largest quantity showed an irregular subsidence curve. The fractured zone where the maximum subsidence amounts are basically located in the middle of the goaf had approximately parabolic subsidence curves. The bending subsidence zone underwent the least subsidence as it was controlled by the key layer. In the coal mining process, stress concentrated in front of both the opening-off cut and the working face. When the working face advanced to 150 m, bearing stress of the opening-off cut and the working face was up to 20 MPa, with a stress concentration coefficient of 1.98. When the lower coal seam was mined, the immediate roof kept caving as the mining proceeded, with no obvious initial weighting or periodic weighting in the main roof. Only the roof stress within the mining area demonstrated greater fluctuations as the mining moved on. Pressures at the opening-off cut and the stopping line remained high in the whole process, so it is suggested to pay special attention to pressure detection during the first cut and make sure the roof is well supported for the mining of lower coal seam.