Roadway Floor Research Articles

Experimental Test on Nonuniform Deformation in the Tilted Strata of a Deep Coal Mine

Taking a deep-mine horizontal roadway in inclined strata as our research object, the true triaxial simulation technique was used to establish a model of the inclined strata and carry out high-stress triaxial loading experiments. The experimental results show that the deformation of surrounding rock in the roadway presents heterogeneous deformation characteristics in time and space: the deformation of the surrounding rock at different positions of the roadway occurs at different times. In the process of deformation of the surrounding rock, deformation and failure occur at the floor of the roadway first, followed by the lower shoulder-angle of the roadway, and finally the rest of the roadway. The deformation amount in the various areas is different. The floor heave deformation of the roadway floor is the greatest and shows obvious left-right asymmetry. The deformation of the higher side is greater than that of the lower side. The model disassembly shows that the development of cracks in the surrounding rock is characterized by more cracks on the higher side and fewer cracks on the lower side but shows larger cracks across the width. The experimental results of high-stress deformation of the surrounding rock are helpful in the design of supports, the reinforcement scheme, and the parameter optimization of roadways in high-stress-inclined rock, and to improve the stability control of deep high-stress roadways.

“Relief-Retaining” Control Technology of Floor Heave in Mining Roadway with Soft Rock: A Case Study

The floor heave problem is one of the important factors affecting the stability and safety of surrounding rocks of roadways, especially in deep high-stress mining roadway with soft rock. The return airway of no. 130203 working face in Zaoquan Coal Mine of Ningdong Mining Area in Northwest China is the research object in this study. Firstly, an innovative “relief-retaining” control scheme of floor heave is proposed, which is the comprehensive measure of “cutting groove in floor + drilling for pressure relief at roadway side + setting retaining piles at the junction of roadway side and floor.” Then, the specific parameters suitable for floor heave control of no. 130203 return airway are determined using numerical simulation method. Finally, the yield monitoring results show that both the deformation of surrounding rocks and the cable force are significantly reduced. The roof falling capacity, floor heave displacement, and thickness increasing value of 0–2 m floor strata are 596 mm, 410 mm, and 82 mm, respectively, which are 43.67%, 67.49%, and 75.38% less than those of the control section. The maximum force of cables at roadway sides is 140.13 kN, about 32.54% less than that of the control section. The results verify the reliability of the proposed “relief-retaining” control scheme and can provide some reference for the floor heave control of similar roadways.

Geoelectric field response characteristics analysis of floor roadway surrounding rock fracture caused due to coal seam mining

The fracture of rocks surrounding the floor roadway during the mining of the working face of a coal mine is a complicated spatiotemporal process due to the superimposed action of multiple stress fields on the surrounding rock mass. Using the surrounding rock of a floor roadway in the working face of the Huainan Pan’er Mine as the research subject, we conducted real-time monitoring using geoelectric field monitoring technology, and found the spatiotemporal response law of the geoelectric field in the process of regional rupture and damage of engineering rock masses under a complex stress field environment. The results show that (1) the time series response characteristics and spatial distribution of the geoelectric field signal are closely related to the stress distribution and damage evolution of the surrounding rock mass; (2) the rupture and damage degree of the goaf floor significantly increased when the working face was pushed through the monitoring area for 20–40 m. During this process, the excitation current dropped by 4–12 mA, and the self-potential pulse fluctuation amplitude was greater than 400 mV; (3) from the beginning of the monitoring process to the end of the monitoring, the self-potential in the damaged area decreased by 250 mV, and the self-potential in the mudstone layer below the damaged area increased by 140 mV. The electrons released into the environment around the damaged rock mass during the severe impact phase of mining did not flow back to the damaged area, and the positive charge in the damaged rock mass gradually accumulated in the complete rock mass in units of rock strata; (4) when superimposed and supported by anchor rod and cables, the bearing capacity of the shallow bearing circle of the roadway was enhanced, and the excitation current presented a step-like overall increase during mining of the working face with a small drop after every significant increase. This result is of significance in monitoring the evolutionary process of real-time failure of rock masses under complex stress environments using geoelectric field information and in improving the quality of geoelectric field monitoring technology testing applications in the future.

Experimental analysis of control technology and deformation failure mechanism of inclined coal seam roadway using non-contact DIC technique

The deformation and failure forms of inclined coal seam roadway under the joint action of dip angle and various geological conditions are complex, and there is a lack of targeted support measures, which brings great problems to the stability control of roadway surrounding rock. In order to safely and economically mine inclined coal seams, taking the engineering geology of Shitanjing No. 2 mining area as the background, and the physical similarity model of right-angle trapezoidal roadway in inclined coal seam, in which the non-contact digital image correlation (DIC) technology and the stress sensor is employed to provide full-field displacement and stress measurements. The deformation control technology of the roadway surrounding rock was proposed, verified by numerical simulation and applied to engineering practice. The research results show that the stress and deformation failure of surrounding rock in low sidewall of roadway are greater than those in high sidewall, showing asymmetric characteristics, and the maximum stress concentration coefficients of roadway sidewall, roof and floor are 4.1, 3.4 and 2.8, respectively. A concept of roadway "cyclic failure" mechanism is proposed that is, the cyclic interaction of the two sidewalls, the sharp angles and roof aggravated the failure of roadway, resulting in the overall instability of roadway. The roadway sidewall is serious rib spalling, the roof is asymmetric "Beret" type caving arch failure, and the floor is slightly bulging. On this basis, the principle of roadway deformation control is revealed and asymmetric support design is adopted, and the deformation of roadway is controlled, which support scheme is effective.

Research on the Reasonable Strengthening Time and Stability of Excavation Unloading Surrounding Rock of High-Stress Rock Mass

This study is aimed at better understanding the deformation and failure mechanism of surrounding rock during excavation unloading of a high-stress rock mass and determining the reasonable reinforcement time for the surrounding rock. To fulfill this aim, true triaxial tests were carried out on different loading and unloading paths during the unilateral unloading of a high-stress rock mass. The variational condition for minimization of plastic complementary energy is obtained, the optimal reinforcement time is determined, and the range of the plastic zone in the surrounding rock reinforced by anchor mesh-cable-grouting is compared and analyzed. The results are as follows: (1) Based on the Mohr-Coulomb yield criterion and the deformation reinforcement theory of surrounding rock, the stable state with the minimum reinforcement force is obtained. (2) After the true triaxial tests on the unilateral unloading of the third principal stress were carried out under different confining pressures, loading continued to be performed. Compared with rock failure without confining pressure, in the conventional uniaxial compression test, the failure of samples is dominated by composite splitting-shear failure; the unilateral unloading stress-concentration failure is a progressive failure process of splitting into plates followed by cutting into blocks and then the ejection of blocks and pieces. (3) The relationship between the time steps of the surrounding rock stability and the excavation distance is obtained. The supporting time can be divided into four stages: presupport stage, bolt reinforcement stage, anchor cable reinforcement stage, and grouting reinforcement stage. (4) In the range of within 5 m behind the tunneling face, the plastic zone of the surrounding rock with support is reduced by 7 m as compared with that with no support. In the range of over 5 m behind the tunneling face, the plastic zone of the roadway floor with support is reduced by 2.6 m as compared with that without support, and the deformation is reduced by 90%. These results can serve as a reference for controlling the behavior of surrounding rock during excavation unloading of high-stress rock masses.

Evaluation Method of Floor Heave Damage Degree and a Case Study in Zaoquan Coal Mine, China

With the continuous increase of mining depth and complex mining geological conditions, the mileage of roadways in underground engineering such as coal mine is increasing year by year. Complex conditions lead to different floor heave failure laws, and the control technology and strategy should be changed accordingly. How to evaluate the damage degree of floor heave under different conditions has become an urgent problem. Firstly, this paper makes a statistical analysis on the main evaluation indexes of the damage degree of roadway floor heave. Then, the fuzzy comprehensive clustering method is used to establish the classification method of floor heave damage degree, taking the floor heave amount, floor rock fragmentation degree, coal pillar size, buried depth, and floor lithology as evaluation indexes. The damage degree of floor heave can be divided into five types: light type, obvious type, severe type, destructive type, and extremely severe type. Finally, the rationality and accuracy of the method are verified by the measured value and evaluation value of No. 130203 roadway in the Zaoquan coal mine. The results can provide reference for the evaluation of the damage degree of the floor rock in similar condition mine and provide guidance for the design of the support and stability control of the failure of the roadway floor heave.

Innovative Control Technique for the Floor Heave in Goaf-Side Entry Retaining Based on Pressure Relief by Roof Cutting

To solve the difficulty in controlling floor heave of a retained goaf-side roadway, a new control technique was investigated from the perspective of the pressure relief by roof cutting by combining mechanical analysis, numerical simulation, and engineering tests. The mechanical principle of controlling the floor heave based on pressure relief by roof cutting was attained by analyzing the movement of overlying strata and mechanical characteristics of key blocks before and after the roof cutting. A new technique for controlling the floor heave based on pressure relief by roof cutting was proposed. Research results have shown that after performing pressure relief by roof cutting, the caved gangues in the goaf can support the overlying strata and, thereby, change the movement law thereof and weaken the abutment pressure on the coal wall. Furthermore, the pressure exerted on the roadway floor by the coal wall is lowered to prevent plastic deformation of the floor, thus controlling floor heave in the roadway; a new integrated technique for controlling the floor heave based on pressure relief by roof cutting, flexible yielding, controlling with double-direction-control anchor bolts, and controlling with reinforcing anchor cables is developed, and the technological processes of support, cutting, and protection are summarised. The results of field testing showed that, after applying the new technique, the average floor heave amount of the roadway declines by 64% and the average speed of the floor heave up to 231 m behind the working face decreases by 61%.

Study on Surrounding Rock Stability Mechanism of Gob-Side Entry Retaining with Prefabricated Fracture

To study the optimal layout of prefabricated roof cutting line in gob-side entry retaining with roof cutting and pressure relief, based on the engineering geological conditions of 5249 working face in Beipingdong Coal Mine of Baoyuan Mining Company, the FLAC3D numerical simulation method was used to study the surrounding rock characteristics of gob-side entry retaining under different layout conditions of prefabricated roof cutting line, and the optimal layout of prefabricated roof cutting line in gob-side entry retaining with roof cutting and pressure relief was proposed. The results show that the roadway floor has a certain degree of floor heave with the mining process under different angles. The angle between the prefabricated roof cutting line and the vertical line of the roadway has little effect on the lateral displacement of the coal body in the mining process of gob-side entry retaining. When the cutting angle is 10°, the stability of the surrounding rock of gob-side entry retaining is more stable than that of other angles, and the plastic range is small. The stability of the surrounding rock of the roadway is more stable than that of other angles, which is conducive to the safe mining of 5249 working faces in Beipingdong Coal Mine.

Research and Optimization of Gas Extraction by Crossing-Seam Boreholes from Floor Roadway

Deep coal seams are characterized by large stress, high gas pressure, and low permeability. The gas disaster threatens the safe production of coal mine seriously. Gas extraction by crossing-seam boreholes from floor roadway (GECMBFR) can reduce the pressure and content of coal seam gas, which is the main measure to prevent gas disaster. Considering the Klinkenberg effect, governing equations of gas adsorption/desorption-diffusion, gas seepage, and stress fields within the coal seam are established to form the seepage-stress coupling model. The governing equations are embodied into a finite element driven software to numerically simulate gas migration and fluid-solid coupling law in coal seam. On this basis, the process of gas extraction under different borehole spacings and diameters is simulated. The effects of these two key parameters on coal seam gas pressure, gas content, and gas permeability were analyzed. The borehole spacing and diameter were determined to be 5 m and 0.09 m, respectively. Combined with the actual situation of a mine, the process of gas extraction from floor roadway with different cross-sectional schemes, ordinary drilling boreholes and punching combined drilling boreholes, is comparatively analyzed. The results show that the gas extraction effect by ordinary drilling boreholes is lower than that of the punching combined drilling boreholes, and the extraction is uneven and makes it difficult to meet the standard. Hydraulic punching was carried out, and coal was washed out of the borehole, which expanded the contact area between the borehole wall and coal seam. The coal seam around the punching borehole is unloaded, which improves coal permeability and accelerates gas migration towards the borehole, thus promoting the efficiency of gas extraction. It is more reasonable to use punching combined drilling borehole scheme when implementing the GECMBFR technology.

Three-Dimensional Unique-Identifier-Based Automated Georeferencing and Coregistration of Point Clouds in Underground Mines

Spatially referenced and geometrically accurate laser scans are essential for mapping and monitoring applications in underground mines to ensure safe and smooth operation. However, obtaining an absolute 3D map in an underground mine environment is challenging using laser scanning due to the unavailability of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals. Consequently, applications that require georeferenced point cloud or coregistered multitemporal point clouds such as detecting changes, monitoring deformations, tracking mine logistics, measuring roadway convergence rate and evaluating construction performance become challenging. Current mapping practices largely include a manual selection of discernable reference points in laser scans for georeferencing and coregistration which is often time-consuming, arduous and error-prone. Moreover, challenges in obtaining a sensor positioning framework, the presence of structurally symmetric layouts and highly repetitive features (such as roof bolts) makes the multitemporal scans difficult to georeference and coregister. This study aims at overcoming these practical challenges through development of three-dimensional unique identifiers (3DUIDs) and a 3D registration (3DReG) workflow. Field testing of the developed approach in an underground coal mine has been found effective with an accuracy of 1.76 m in georeferencing and 0.16 m in coregistration for a scan length of 850 m. Additionally, automatic extraction of mine roadway profile has been demonstrated using 3DUID which is often a compliant and operational requirement for mitigating roadway related hazards that includes roadway convergence rate, roof/rock falls, floor heaves and vehicle clearance for collision avoidance. Potential applications of 3DUID include roadway profile extraction, guided automation, sensor calibration, reference targets for a routine survey and deformation monitoring.

Analysis and Application on Inverted Arch Support of Cross-cut Floor Heave

The cross-cut is an important gateway to connect the main roadway and the coal seam. The transportation, the pedestrian and the ventilation of mine could be seriously influenced by floor heave of cross-cut. Aiming at the severe floor heave of +1100 m track cross-cut in Liu Yuan Zi Coal Mine, the cross-cut surrounded with hard roof and soft floor was found. To solve this problem, the bolt-net-shotcrete and 36U-shape steel combined supporting (the original supporting scheme) and the bolt-net-shotcrete and 36U-shape steel round shed combined supporting (the new supporting scheme) respectively were applied to the cross-cut by numerical analysis. The simulation results indicate that the floor heaves is reduced by 57%, and the surrounding rock stress was changed from tension to compression at the bottom and the plastic range decreased and trended to homogenization. Field application results indicat that the cross-cut floor heave can be controlled effectively by bolt-net-shotcrete and 36U-shape steel round shed combined supporting. The conclusions provide a reliable technical scheme for hard roof and soft floor roadway.

Design of Longwall Coal Pillar for the Prevention of Water Inrush from the Seam Floor with Through Fault

Setting up a waterproof coal pillar is an important measure to prevent water inrush from the Weibei mining through fault floor. Based on the plastic slip line field theory, a mechanical model of floor water inrush induced by confined water in the through fault zone was established. The mechanical expressions of confined water pressure and the width of the waterproof coal pillar under the state of limit equilibrium were derived. Combining the laws of floor deformation, failure and fault activation under two kinds of coal pillar width, the safety width of the waterproof coal pillar was determined. Furthermore, the safety threshold is better than the empirical value mentioned in the “coal mine safety regulations.” Following this, grouting transformation was carried out on the K2 sand layer of the cut roadway floor. This provided a theoretical basis and engineering practice for water disaster prevention and the control of the structural floor under similar conditions in the Weibei mining area for future benefit.

Mechanism and Control of Roadway Floor Rock Burst Induced by High Horizontal Stress

According to the characteristics of rock burst of high horizontal stress roadway floor, the rock burst mechanism of roadway floor was studied with the background of south track roadway Xing’an mine. Based on the deflection theory and energy principle of the slab, the mechanical model of the floor of the roadway under high horizontal stress was established, the stress and energy criteria of rock burst occurred in the floor of the roadway were deduced, the prevention and control measures of the floor pressure relief with large diameter borehole and concrete-filled steel tube pile support were put forward, and the key parameters were determined. By establishing a numerical model, the evolution law of plastic zone, horizontal stress, and elastic strain energy density of roadway floor with or without support is contrastively analyzed. The results show that the effective means to prevent and control the floor rock burst is to cut off the stress transfer path by weakening the hard floor to reduce floor energy accumulation so as to reduce the floor rock burst risk. Based on the above research, field tests were carried out, and the microseismic monitoring results showed that the floor pressure relief of large diameter boreholes and concrete-filled steel tube pile support effectively relieved the floor rock burst and guaranteed the safety and efficiency of roadway excavation. This technology can provide a reference for the prevention and control of floor rock burst of similar roadways.

Numerical Simulation Research on the Influence of Buried Depth on the Stress Field of Overlying Rock in Floor Roadway

In order to explore the influence of burial depth on the stress field of the overlying rock in the floor roadway, FLAC3D software is used to simulate and analyze when the floor roadway is at 600m, 800m, and 1000m. The stress field distribution characteristics of the rock and surrounding rock within 15m on both sides, the stress field distribution characteristics of different areas directly below and on both sides of the floor roadway are obtained, which provides a theoretical basis for the location selection and support of the floor roadway.

Research on Deformation Characteristics of Overlying Rock Strata in Floor Roadway

In order to study the deformation characteristics of the overlying rock layer of the floor roadway, the DW-6 multi-point displacement meter is used to measure the displacement of the surrounding rock of the roadway at different depths, and it is concluded that the displacement and deformation of the surrounding rock within 15m of the upper and lower sides of the pressure relief floor rock roadway. The upper part shows the largest deformation of the surrounding rock directly above, followed by the upper and lower sides 7.5m, and the upper and lower sides the smallest 15m. The different base points of the same borehole show the characteristics of alternating wave crests and troughs from the outside to the inside. The wave crests with larger displacements are the damaged areas of surrounding rock, and the troughs with smaller displacements are the non-damaged areas of surrounding rock.

Migration Characteristics of Boring Mud in Roadway Floor Anchor Wire Hole and Test in Coal Mine

Given the difficulty in drilling the anchor holes in the roadway floor of the coal mine, the characteristics of slag movement in the process of positive and negative circulation drilling are analyzed. It is concluded that the interaction between the three zones of drilling and slag is the fundamental reason restricting the rapid drilling of the anchor cable hole in the floor, and it is proposed that the pump reverse circulation drilling can effectively prevent the formation of the three zones of drilling and slag. According to the actual situation, the relationship between drilling depth, vacuum degree of the pump, and the velocity of drilling fluid and the volume of drilling slag is obtained. The results show that the pump suction reverse circulation is feasible for the rapid drilling of the anchor hole of the floor. A set of pump suction reverse circulation drilling systems has been developed, and floor anchor wire hole drilling and slag discharge operation at the same time were realized. The field test shows that the effective drilling time of the anchor cable hole in the depth of 5.6 m can be controlled within 30 min, which solves the problem of deep hole drilling in the anchor hole of the bottom plate and purifies the working environment.

Mechanism of Roadway Floor Heave Controlled by Floor Corner Pile in Deep Roadway under High Horizontal Stress

In order to overcome the support difficulty of serious floor heave caused by rock burst, with the floor heave of ventilation roadway in Hegang Xing An Coal Mine as the engineering background, the treatment scheme of the concrete-filled steel tube corner pile and floor grouting is put forward. Based on the solution of the slip line field under plane strain condition, the mechanical model of the slip-type floor heave is established, and the formula for calculating the critical failure depth of the roadway floor and the minimum support depth of the corner pile is derived. Through numerical analysis and similar model tests, the deformation and stress distribution of surrounding rock under the support of the corner piles are studied, and the force law of the pile under high horizontal stress is analyzed. The results show that, compared with the floor corner anchor, the floor corner pile + floor grouting support scheme can significantly improve the mechanical properties of the floor rock mass, and the plastic slip line of the floor plate part can be cut by corner piles, which effectively controls the deformation of the floor plate under high horizontal stress; the length and inclination angle of the corner pile have a great influence on the support effect. In the on-site treatment scheme, 1.1 times the calculated length of pile should be selected. The results of a similar model and field test show that the corner pile is effective in controlling the deformation of roadway floor and two sides.

Numerical Simulation Study on the Distribution Law of Deviatoric Stress of Floor under the Influence of Mining

The Zhaogu No. 2 coal mine is a single thick coal seam mining mine with high gas content. Due to the lack of protective layer mining conditions, we can only arrange the floor gas extraction roadway (FGER) to extract the gas from the overlying coal seam of the FGER to ensure safe production. However, improper placement of FGER will cause water inrush from the floor of FGER. Given above contradictions, this paper analyzes the stress-strain relationship of the fractured rock mass in the caving zone and the stress-recovery characteristics of the goaf from the perspective of the structural characteristics of the overlying strata above goaf. Based on this, a FLAC3D numerical model of equivalent delayed filling of caving rock mass was established by using the double-yield model filling method. The distribution of floor stress under the influence of mining is obtained after the model calculation, i.e., with the increase of the distance from the floor, the ratio of bidirectional stress to the peak value, and the stability value decrease, but the decrease amplitude becomes smaller and smaller. Therefore, floor roadway used for gas extraction should be located 10-15 m below the floor. Combined with the distribution of floor strata in 11060 working face, it is finally determined that FGER should be located 13 m below the floor. Such arrangement of FGER can not only ensure the effect of gas drainage but also prevent the occurrence of water inrush from floor.

The Roadheader Auto-Rectification Dynamic Analysis and Control Based on the Roadway Floor Mechanic Characteristics

The auto-rectification of the roadheader is one of the most key steps in the roadway auto-cutting progress, and the performance of the roadheader rectification on the mechanized excavation faces the key performance parameter. The determination of the roadway floor mechanical parameter is the big challenge and difficulty to the automation excavation of the roadheader. Combined the component of the roadway floor mechanical property and experiment parameters for the mechanical parameters regression equation, the floor mechanical parameter formula can be got, which is accurate and could be utilized in calculating the resistance. Analyzing the finite element part on the compaction resistance and steering resistance of the roadheader track, the accurate and reliable dynamic model of the roadheader rectification can be built. Combined with the roadheader’s structure and motion characteristic, the neural net PID(Proportion Integration Differentiation)control method is proposed which can real-time adjust the control parameters. Then the dynamic model and control method are simulated by MATLAB and the control method is tested by the roadheader control experiment system. Based on the experiment result, the designed control system can well meet the control requirements, fast response, small overshoot and better stability, which could ensure the good dynamic performance of the roadheader and the cutting quality of the roadway. It could be the theoretical basis and important technical support for the intelligent mining of coal mine.

Numerical Simulation Research on Distribution Characteristics of Overlying Rock Stress Field in Floor Roadway

In order to explore the distribution characteristics of the overlying rock stress field in the floor roadway at different locations, FLAC3D software was used to simulate and analyze the surrounding rock directly above the floor roadway and the surrounding rock within 15m on both sides of the floor roadway when the distance between the floor roadway and the coal roadway and the horizontal distance were changed. The stress field distribution characteristics are obtained, and the stress field distribution characteristics of different areas directly above and on both sides of the floor roadway are obtained, which provides a theoretical basis for the location selection and support of the floor roadway.