Surrounding rock control of an innovative gob-side entry retaining with energy-absorbing supporting in deep mining

Abstract

In case of deep mining engineering, the conventional gob-side entry retaining (GER) method encounters inevitable difficulties, due to high stress, high dynamic disturbance and large deformation issues. Recently, an innovative no-pillar mining approach of GER is proposed and applied in several realistic cases. According to the innovative approach, two novel techniques, the pre-fracturing on the roof before mining activities, and a novel support system with a good energy-absorbing capacity, make it possible to effectively restrain the large deformation in the deep surrounding rock. In this study, the innovative mining approach with the corresponding energy-absorbing support systems in deep mining is systematically presented. The pre-fracturing effect, taking into account the novel support system, is demonstrated in a numerical approach, and the numerical results are compared with those of the conventional method. Finally, some real monitoring data from the Chengjiao coal mine are given to further prove the advantages of the innovative mining method with energy-absorbing support systems. This work provides an effective and economical method to non-pillar mining in deep coal mine.