Search Results (8)

Addressing the issue of shallow-buried, closely spaced multiple coal seam repeat mining, where the development of overlying rock fractures causes interlayer airflow disturbances, leading to spontaneous combustion hazards in leftover coal and affecting the safe and efficient mining of the working face. Taking Zhangjiamao Coal Mine as the research object, a discrete element numerical model of shallow-buried, closely spaced overlying rock structure particle flow is established to study the development patterns of overlying rock fractures and the evolution of porosity in the working faces during the repeated mining processes of the 2⁻² and 4⁻² coal seams. Based on simulated data, we establish a fitting formula for the relationship between mining height, advance distance, and fracture development height. The research results indicate the following: as the working face continues to advance, the number of fractures in the overlying roof rock increases, and the fracture zones exhibit a horizontal and vertical intersecting distribution pattern, with the range continuously expanding until it extends to the surface, forming a moderately flat subsidence basin in the middle. The porosity range of the roof rock increases progressively with the mining of the working face, and the porosity of the roof rock when mining the lower coal seam is greater than that when mining the upper coal seam. The comparison between the research results and the on-site measured results verified the reliability of the simulation results. Full article

Longwall fully comprehensive mechanized mining is mainly used for the working faces of shallow coal seam with large mining height, which usually have a large suspended roof at the face end. The overhang at the face end leads to stress concentration, which affects the safe mining of the working face. In this paper, we use the 15210 working face with a suspended roof (overhanging area 50~70 m²) of the Zhangjiamao coal mine as study background, with physical simulation, numerical calculation and theoretical analysis, the spatial morphologies and changes in the roof structure at the face ends of the working face in shallow coal seam are obtained, in which the suspended roof increase from the bottom to top, forming step-laminated structures. The caving interval of the suspended roof at the face end is about two times the period weighting interval, and the suspended roof area at the tailgate is smaller than at the headgate. The distribution of the shear and the principal stress field at the face-end region is arc-shaped, and the distribution of the plastic zone shows that the collapse of a suspended ceiling has obvious hysteresis. According to the simplified analysis of the Marcus plate, when the layers of the stepped curved triangular plates increase, the length of the suspended roof on the solid coal side also increases, which is consistent with the results of the physical simulation and numerical calculations. The formation mechanism of the roof at the end of the working face provides a research foundation for the control of roofs found at face ends and further improves the theory of roof structure and the safety mining of suspended roof areas. Full article

In order to prevent coal mine water inrush accidents, it is necessary to appropriately assess the water abundance of coal mines based on drilling and geophysical data. This paper studied a comprehensive risk assessment method of water inrush. First, a water inrush risk index was proposed based on the analytic hierarchy process-entropy method (AHP-EM) and the water-rich structure index was proposed based on the geological data coupled calculation, then weighted two indices above which established the comprehensive water inrush risk assessment method. Secondly, eight factors were chosen as risk control factors of water inrush: core recovery, aquifer thickness, distance from the indirect aquifer to the coal seam, aquiclude thickness, height of water-conducting fracture zone, sand-mud ratio, total layers of aquifer and aquiclude, and the equivalent thickness of sandstone. Finally, the No. 2 coal seam of Dahaize coal mine was taken as the research object, the factors were calculated, and a comprehensive water inrush assessment model was constructed. With site investigation and observation, the water inrush risk assessment model of the No.2 coal seam roof is consistent with the actual mining situation, which verifies the validity of the model. In addition, this method was used to evaluate the water-richness of the weathered bedrock fractured aquifer in the Zhangjiamao coal mine. The practical application of the two mines has verified the generality of the approach. The research could provide scientific assistance for mine water hazard mitigation and mining safety. Full article

Coal is an important basic energy source, widely distributed throughout the world, but resource abundance is uneven. Despite the need to develop and form new energy sources, coal energy maintains its dominant position. However, due to the uneven distribution and non-renewable nature of coal resources, the relationship between the supply and demand of coal resources is tight. The rational exploitation of coal and reducing resource mining wastes are particularly important at the present stage. The original mining method of the Zhangjiamao coal mine resulted in a large waste of coal resources. After replacing the “110 construction method”, the original advanced end-support was canceled, which saved a lot of process time and engineering costs and greatly improved the mine production efficiency. With an average mining depth of +300 m, the working face is in a safe and stable state, and the 110-mining process has little impact on surface subsidence. Its successful application provides a reference experience for other mines to promote resource-saving and efficient mining. Full article

Underground coal mining inevitably causes ground fissures, especially permanent cracks that cannot be closed at the boundary of the working face. Studying the underground three-dimensional morphology of the permanent cracks allows one to accurately constrain the formation and development of the ground fissures. This information will contribute to reducing mine disasters and is also a prerequisites to avoid environmental pollution. We selected the Zhangjiamao coal mine (China), which is situated in a collapsible loess area, as a case study for deciphering the formation of permanent cracks. After injecting gypsum slurry into the mine, a three-dimensional model of the ground fissures is obtained by three-dimensional (3D) laser scanner technology that records the 3D underground morphology. Integrating the geological context of a collapsible loess area, the characteristics and main processes of the ground fissure development are constrained: (1) The width of the ground fissure decreases to 0 with increasing depth and is strongly affected by the soil composition. (2) Along the vertical extension direction, the ground fissures are generally inclined to the inner-side of the working face, but the direction remains uncertain at different depths. (3) The transverse propagation direction of the ground fissure becomes more complex with increasing depth. (4) Under the influence of soil texture and water, loose soil fills the bottom of the ground fissure, thus affecting the underground 3D morphology. Full article

Surface subsidence caused by coal mining has a great impact on the geological and ecological environments and causes damage to houses, roads, and industrial buildings. In order to understand the subsidence pattern in the mountainous mining regions, three mining faces of the Zhangjiamao mining area in the north of Shaanxi province, northwestern China are taken as case study. Firstly, the small baseline subset (SBAS) technology is used to process 12 images obtained in the mining area to investigate the subsidence data from December 2019 to April 2020. The boundary of surface deformation of the mining area interpreted by the SBAS-InSAR technology is inconsistent with the theoretical boundary suggested by coal mine subsidence theories. Especially, there are some areas in which the real subsidence are larger than estimated area. This discrepancy must be corrected as steep slopes near the theoretical boundary may increase the likelihood of landslides. Our research indicates that: (1) The accumulated displacement and the maximum deformation rate reached −120.759 mm and −270.012 mm/yr in the study area, and the subsidence boundary of the three mining faces is revealed; (2) the combination of the predicted boundary and slope stability analysis can effectively identify the landslide region at the edge of subsidence boundary; (3) the field surveys have proved the effectiveness of this method. The mining area subsidence revealed by our research helps to further understand the impact of land subsidence caused by mining in the mountainous areas and provides a practical method to predict subsidence boundaries and the likelihood for landslides. Full article

The large mining height (LMH) in shallow coal seam has been widely applied in the Shenfu coalfield, China. The dynamic load is obvious, and the rib spalling is serious when the LMH working face concerns roof weighting. The advanced breaking position of the roof affects the strength of the ground pressure when the roof is broken. Firstly, based on a large number of actual measurements and physical simulation experiments, the rock formation in the fall zone, where the articulated structure cannot be articulated between the coal seam and the main roof, is called the equivalent immediate roof (EIR). When the mining height increases, the thickness of the EIR increases non-linearly. Next, based on the theory of “elastic foundation beam”, a mechanical model for the advanced breaking of the roof is established in shallow coal seam, and the calculation equation for the advanced breaking position of the roof is given; then, designed and carry out boreholes of the no. 22201 working face in the Zhangjiamao Coal Mine. The theoretical calculation of key strata results (5.6–6.9 m) are in the range of field measurement results (5–8 m). According to the field measurement results, the roof movement of the LMH working face is ahead of the roof weighting. Finally, we define the thickness of EIR and the mining height ratio as the immediate mining ratio k_i, which affects the degree of filling of the goaf and determines the structural form of the main roof. When the k_i is small, the goaf is fully filled; when the k_i is large, the goaf is fully filled. Under the same conditions, different filling rate conditions will form different roof structures. Results of this research can be helpful to control roof weighting and provide early warning of possible safety problems related to the LMH working face in shallow coal seam. Full article

The overburden movement of the large mining height working face of shallow buried thin bedrock (SBTB) is a complex engineering problem with “time-space-intension”, which is of great significance to realize efficient and safe mining in the northern Shaanxi mining area. Based on the research object of No. 22201 working face in Zhangjiamao Coal Mine, the roof structure characteristics of large mining height working face in SBTB are researched by field drilling measurement, laboratory test, physical and numerical simulation. The results show that: (1) Based on the measured data of the drillholes, it is concluded that under the mining conditions of SBTB with large mining height, the roof movement is ahead of the weighting of the working face, and the working resistance has a significant time effect. The advanced movement distance is about 20 m, which can be used as an early warning index of the weighting. The lag movement distance in the roof with horizon of 30 m is two periodic weighting intervals, which are about 26 m. (2) The first weighting interval of the working face is 32 m. The roof first break has obvious step sinking phenomenon, and the measured surface appears at a position 45 m away from the transport slot. It is statistically concluded that the periodic weighting interval is 9.5~16.5 m, the average weighting interval is 13 m, which is equivalent to the periodic dynamic crack spacing of the surface. (3) The results of field measurement and physical simulation show that the breaking angle of the roof of the No. 22201 large mining height is about 66°, and the periodic stepping distance of the T-junction suspension area is 6~8m. Along the strike of the working face, the roof breaking is mainly arc arched. The research results ensure the safe and green mining of shallow coal seam. Full article