Experimental study of the movement of backfilling gangues for goaf in steeply inclined coal seams

For the coal mining with flexible shield supports which is used widely in the exploitation of steeply inclined coal seams, a method with which to backfill enough gangues efficiently in goaf is the key to meet the control requirements for the roof. In order to research the movement of gangues in goaf and the factors influencing backfilling effects, an experimental device for the movement of gangues for backfilling the goaf in steeply inclined coal seams was designed. The movement trajectory of gangues was monitored and was divided into three stages. Gangue movement characteristic under different engineering condition was studied, which showed that the backfilling rate of gangues in the goaf of steeply inclined coal seams is positively correlated to the dip angle of the coal seam and the mining thickness, while being negatively correlated to the grain size of the gangues and the deformation of the roof.     

细长窄煤柱破坏机理的数值分析

对特厚煤层条件下采用螺旋钻机开采细长窄煤柱的破坏过程进行了数值模拟。模拟结果再现了开采过程中煤柱破坏发生、发展直至塑性区贯通破坏的全过程,并从应力场演化分析了煤柱破坏过程的应力分布特征及破坏机理。     

Researches of fracture evolution induced by soft rock protective seam mining and an omni-directional stereo pressure-relief gas extraction technical system: a case study

In the absence of a suitable coal seam to serve as the protective seam in deep mining, an innovative solution of using the soft rock seam as the protective seam mining has been put forward. Taking the Luling Coal Mine as the engineering background, theoretical analysis and similar simulation experiment were conducted to study the key technologies used in soft rock protective seam (SRPS) mining. This included the characteristics of the pressure-relief gas source and accumulation zone, and the pressure-relief gas extraction of the protected seam. The results show that after mining the SRPS, the pressure-relief gas rushing out of nearby coal seams has become the major gas source in SRPS mining. An omni-directional stereo pressure-relief gas extraction system was developed, which consisted of techniques such as buried pipes in the goaf, ground extraction wells, intercepting boreholes, and seam-crossing boreholes. During the investigation, the total pressure-relief gas extraction flow amounted to 29.5 m³/min, and the gas pre-extraction rate reached 66.6% for the overlying protected seams (seams 8 and 9). The investigation into the protective effects in the cut hole showed that the maximal gas pressure and content were 0.35 MPa and 4.87 m³/t, respectively. This indicated that drilling extraction boreholes in the gas accumulation zone played a key role in obtaining an improved pressure-relief gas extraction effect. Further, these findings suggested that SRPS mining (in combination with omni-directional stereo pressure-relief gas extraction technology) could turn dangerous coal seams into ones with much less gas content, and hence free from gas outburst.     

灵新煤矿导水裂隙带发育高度数值模拟研究

煤矿的开采利用给国民经济发展带来巨大的收益,但也引发了许多环境地质问题,特别在煤层开采过程中,煤层上覆基岩变形破坏形成的裂隙通道极易发生矿井涌（突）水事故,时刻威胁着井下工人的生命安全。本文以灵新煤矿051505工作面为研究对象,利用Flac3D数值模拟软件,对14号主采煤层上覆基岩导水裂隙带高度进行了模拟研究。模拟结果表明：当煤层开采厚度为2.5 m时,导水裂隙带发育最大高度为59.5 m。同时选取经验公式法对导水裂隙带高度进行了计算。最终通过钻孔实测法得到的结果与前两种方法对比分析,数值模拟结果与钻孔实测结果基本吻合,认为数值模拟方法能够高效、简单、合理达到预测导水裂隙带高度的目的,也为同类矿井安全、绿色生产提供一定的借鉴。     

开平煤田构造发育规律对煤层赋存的影响

依据开平煤田地质勘查和矿井开采资料,并结合前人的研究成果,在系统分析地质构造展布规律和组合特征的基础上,选取NW向剖面作为平衡剖面,采用平衡剖面方法,对煤田构造变形及其对煤层赋存影响进行了研究。研究表明：开平煤田标志层缩短率为e=～23．5％,地层变形程度总体自NW—SE减弱;唐山推覆构造巾间后屯断层与FV断层所夹岩体变形更为强烈,缩短率达到42．9％;开平向斜NW翼地层陡倾甚至倒转,煤层韧性流变和脆性流变广泛发育,唐山矿FⅢ断层上部煤层形成不协调褶皱,局部煤层形成煤仓。     

陕北某矿双煤层开采对覆岩影响的模拟对比

多煤层开采条件下煤层覆岩破坏具有独特的特征，影响矿井生产布置。以陕北某矿为例，以该矿地质采矿条件为基础，采用相似材料模拟实验与数值模拟相结合的方法，通过建立模拟模型，开展了双煤层开采对覆岩的破坏影响研究。结果显示:留设不同宽度的煤柱，采用相似材料模拟和数值模拟2种方法得到的煤层覆岩垮落带高度、裂隙带高度都基本一致；在双煤层开采时，留设的煤柱宽度越大，两个煤层的叠置区域就越小，煤层开采对覆岩的破坏程度就越小。在工作面布置时，建议增大两个煤层的开采距离，并尽量增加煤柱宽度，以减缓覆岩移动破坏范围和破坏程度。研究成果为类似双煤层开采工作面的设计及覆岩破坏控制提供技术支撑。      

Computation of gas pressure profiles relevant to outbursting in coal mines

High gas pressure gradients in coal seams play an important role in the occurrence of outbursts during underground coal mining. Excess stress resulting from body forces due to high pressure gradients contributes to the structural failure of coal. We present a one-dimensional model of a dry, rigid coal seam with a moving mine face and determine gas pressures by solving the nonlinear equation for gas flow in a porous medium. An implicit finite difference scheme is used. Since the structure of coal has a dual porosity nature, we consider flow through both the macropores and the micropores. We investigate the effect of changes in mining velocity, idle mining periods and coal properties on the pressure profile in the coal seam. When the yield zone behind the moving mine face is taken into account, the greatest body force occurs on the least competent section of the coal seam.     

软弱厚煤层沿空留巷变形破坏特征及控制研究

针对软弱厚煤层综放开采沿空留巷动压显现明显,顶板易出现不均匀切顶下沉等问题。通过现场调研、理论分析和数值模拟,阐明了软弱厚煤层综放开采沿空留巷动压显现特征和变形机制,提出了软弱厚煤层沿煤层顶板布置沿空留巷变形协同支护体系。研究结果表明：综放开采采出厚度大,沿煤层底板留巷时沿空留巷煤层顶板承载能力差,“底板−巷旁支护体−顶板”支护体系载能力不协调,是造成软弱厚煤层沿空留巷产生大变形的主要原因;沿煤层顶板留巷变形协同支护体系的提出提高了沿空留巷帮部、顶底板及巷旁支护体的协同承载能力,可有效地保证软弱厚煤层沿空留巷的围岩稳定。研究成果在古城煤矿的成功应用,证明了该支护体系在软弱厚煤层综放沿空留巷中的可行性。     

金川二矿区大体积充填体变形的三维数值模拟

充填法采矿是维护矿山稳定、控制地压变化以及限制围岩变形的最有效的手段方法,这种方法被大量地应用于金属矿山的开采工程当中。充填体作为矿体采出后的替代物,充入地下采空区后经过相变-固结-承压-提供反力-与围岩相互作用等阶段,与上覆岩层、下部矿体以及周围围岩形成了一个共同抵抗外部压力又相互作用的系统。这个系统在矿山开采状态下如何维护自身稳定以及相互作用所产生的变形破坏等都是需要进行研究的问题。金川镍矿二矿区已经进行了几十年的充填开采作业,逐渐形成了体积非常巨大的充填体,而进入深部开采工程后,上覆巨大充填体的受力稳定问题直接关系到矿山的安全生产。本文结合金川二矿区开采实际,在精确刻画充填体三维形态特征的基础上,采用数值模拟方法分析了大型充填矿山充填体的力学行为。模拟结果表明:充填体在开采时会出现整体受压变形,最大剪应力是导致充填体与围岩发生局部破坏的主要因素,对此根据充填体整体塑性屈服区域的分布和剪应力分布情况,确定了破坏失稳的危险区域。     

Gas outburst disasters and the mining technology of key protective seam in coal seam group in the Huainan coalfield

Coal and gas outburst disasters in coal seams are becoming more serious as coal mines extend deeper underground in China. To aid gas control in high-gas outburst coal seam group, this study performed research based on the geological conditions of the Xinzhuangzi coal mine in the Huainan coalfield. The laws of gas occurrence, the strength of the coal outburst, and the regional partition were studied. Simultaneously, we introduced the key protective seam mining technology and confirmed the mining sequence of coal seam groups. The results indicate that (1) each seam absorbs gas well, and the currently measured gas content is up to 15.0 m³/t. (2) Although some differences about coal seams outburst intensity remain, the differences in the same group are very small. (3) The coal seam B10 was chosen as the key protective seam and was mined first; then adjacent seams were mined from bottom to top by layer within the roof of B10 and from top-to-bottom within the floor of B10 to guarantee each adjacent coal seam received the good effects of pressure-relief and increasing permeability. (4) The main methods of gas extraction in each protected seam are surface boreholes and net-like penetrating boreholes in the floor roadway, and related technical parameters were determined according to the degree of pressure-relief in coal seam. This in situ experiment indicates a method aiding the gas control problem and guaranteeing safe and highly efficient exploitation of high-gas outburst seams.     

榆神矿区采煤失水危险性分区研究

以榆神矿区区域地质资料为依据,总结了该区煤层与含(隔)水层空间组合类型; 采用三维数值模拟方法,根据塑性条件、破坏准则及应力判别,模拟首采煤层与含(隔)水层空间组合类型下导水裂隙带高度; 通过对比钻孔探测法与数值模拟法,发现数值模拟法具有可行性; 利用模拟结果,绘制矿区导水裂隙带高度空间分布图,总结矿区导水裂隙带高度的整体分布规律; 对比导水裂隙带高度与其首采煤层上覆岩层厚度,总结矿区采煤失水危险性,并进行采煤失水危险性分区; 通过控制采煤失水危险区域的采厚可以达到“保水采煤”的效果。本研究对榆神矿区后期安全生产具有重要的理论意义与实际价值。     

Experimental study on excavating strip coal pillars using caving zone backfill technology

Strip mining was the major method to control surface subsidence when mining under buildings in China; however, its coal recovery ratio was only 30 to 50%, resulting in a large amount of coal resource waste due to the retained strip coal pillars. As such, it is of important significance to recover the retained pillars while guarantee the safety of the buildings at surface. In order to address this issue, excavating strip coal pillars using caving zone backfill technology was proposed in this study. The process of this technology was to grouting backfill the original strip caving zones using high-water content material at first, creating a combined backfill body of caved gangue and high-water content material, the backfill body acted as the temporary support. Then the retained pillars were excavated and the newly produced caving zones were backfilled with one interval, which effectively prevented the movement and deformation of the strata. The backfilling system and technology were designed and trailed to excavate the retained pillars at mining area 911 in Bucun colliery. It was found that the backfilling rate reached 96.8 to 98.7% in the original caving zones, the backfilling body in caving zones was highly compacted, and the maximum surface subsidence was only increased to 67 mm with no growth in the failure depth of floor. The retained coal pillars in three of the mining areas were safely excavated and the safety of buildings on the ground was preserved.     

Pressure-Relief Mining of the Working Face Under the Coal Pillar in the Close Distance Coal Seams

Intensive strata behaviors are generated when the No. 8707 working face of the 8# coal seam in a coal mine is advanced by way of the pillars left over of the upper part of 7# close distance coal seam. The theoretical analysis, numerical simulation and filed measurement were utilized to obtain the rule of the stress change when the 8707 working face of the 8# coal seam passes the pillars left over of the 7# coal seam. Meanwhile, a pressure-relief mining (PRM) technology was put forward. According to the research results, when the 8707 working face in the 8# coal seam was advanced to the position that was 20 m in front of the pillar left over, the abutment pressure reached the maximum for 26 MPa and the stress concentration factor was 3.25, which was likely to give rise to the rock burst. With the advance of the working face, the abutment pressure was reduced slowly. As the 8707 working face advanced 15 m away the pillar left over, the transfixed shear failure region of 45° was found in the bedrocks of the upper and lower coal seams, which was readily to give rise to the shear rupture, leading to the rock burst. Based on the aforementioned research, this research carried out the PRM by applying the hydraulic fracturing technology on the coal roof and pillar, which can ensure the safety and efficient mining of working faces.     

Prevention of water and quicksand inrush during extracting contiguous coal seams under the lowermost aquifer in the unconsolidated Cenozoic alluvium—a case study

Extracting the contiguous coal seams under the lowermost aquifer in the unconsolidated Cenozoic alluvium is apt to water and quicksand inrush. By using a series of investigation methods including empirical formulas, numerical simulation, theoretical analysis, etc., the study focused on the fracture and the excess pore water pressure in the overlying strata in the process of extracting no. 8 coal seam firstly and no. 9 coal seam (under no. 8 coal seam) subsequently in no. 8102 working face of Luling coal mine in the north of Anhui Province of China. When no. 8 coal seam was extracted, the water-conducting fractured zone penetrated into the lowermost aquifer and rapid dissipation of excess pore water pressure above the gob occurred, accompanied by relatively high seepage hydraulic gradient over the headgate and the tailgate. When no. 9 coal seam was extracted, failure did not obviously extend upwards and the excess pore water pressure decreased slowly and a relatively high seepage hydraulic gradient transferred downwards from the headgate to the tailgate in the inclined profile. The safe water head (H _s) in the lowermost aquifer was confirmed to 15.6 m. Therefore, water and quicksand inrush was avoided effectively in the process of extracting the contiguous coal seams by dewatering, controlling mining height, and laying double resistance nets in the working face.     

An experimental and numerical investigation on the deformation of overlying coal seams above double-seam extraction for controlling coal mine methane emissions

This study investigates the deformation and the resultant pressure relief of highly gassy coal seams where a double seam mining operation takes place at lower depths at the Wulan Coal Mine, China. In order to predict the depressurization effect in the overlying coal seams, we simulate the extraction process by constructing a scaled model in the laboratory using similar rock materials. Analyses of experimental results concluded that due to the mining-induced stress redistribution, the pressure within target coal seams, which were 109 m above the mined seams, could be fully relieved to attain the statutory approval for gas drainage.In addition to scaled-model studies, computational modeling studies were conducted using UDEC (Universal Distinct Element Code), which showed that the features of deformation resulting from the double-seam extraction were different from that of in the case of single-seam extraction. The results of the numerical studies revealed that in addition to the panel margin on the air return side, areas near the intake entry could also be considered as borehole drilling positions. Besides, it was found that the gob of the extracted seams below the gassy one provided a “buffering effect” for the would-mined protective coal seam and that the depressurization effect was largely weakened.The laboratorial findings are instructive to the field practice of methane drainage. During the mining operation, a “displacement comparison method” was adopted to measure the dilated amount of protected coal seams, and as expected, the maximum dilation percentage was much more than 0.2% — the critical value upon which the target coal seam is appropriately depressurized to allow gas drainage to be safely and effectively implemented.     

贵州纳雍普洒滑坡动力触发机制离散元模拟分析

采用UDEC离散单元法数值模拟,再现了贵州纳雍张家湾镇普洒滑坡在煤层采空区、深大岩溶裂隙、强降雨和回采爆破振动协同作用下的动力响应特征,揭示出该崩滑的动力触发机制与主控因素。结果表明:（1）在原始坡体下伏煤层自下而上依次开采时,其采空区上覆岩层中“冒落带”、“裂缝带”和“弯曲下沉带”范围逐渐扩大,当位于最上部的煤层被开采后,其上覆岩层中发育的“弯曲下沉带”已触及坡脚;期间该原始坡体处于累积变形阶段,其变形具有明显的整体“下座”和“顺时针旋转”特征;（2）在强降雨作用时,已受采空区作用的坡体进入累积变形扩大阶段,其宏观变形仍具有“下座”和“顺时针旋转”特征;（3）当回采爆破振动持续作用时,已受采空区和强降雨耦合作用的变形坡体进入持续“渐进损伤”、“临界崩滑”、“解体破碎”、“震荡抛射”和“堆积压实”动力响应阶段,期间滑坡体宏观位移表现出明显的“下座”、“溃屈”和“顺时针旋转”特征。      

Subsidence prediction method of solid backfilling mining with different filling ratios under thick unconsolidated layers

Solid backfill mining for coal pillar recovery in industrial squares has to ensure that the mine infrastructure, such as the shafts and substations, is not degraded or has its utility impaired by that mining. At the same time, it is important to recover as much coal as possible. As a result, it is necessary to predict mining subsidence during solid backfilling mining of coal pillars in industrial squares and to optimize the design of the working faces. At the Baishan coal mine in Anhiu province, China, there are thick layers of unconsolidated overburden above the coal seam so it is not appropriate to use the surface subsidence prediction method of equivalent mining height to predict subsidence during the mining of the coal pillars there. In order to find a reasonable coal pillar recovery scheme for the Baishan mine, a numerical simulation method is used to determine the relationships between the compression ratio of the backfilling material and the surface subsidence prediction parameters. Research was done to determine the appropriate parameters, and based on the final prediction parameters and taking the mandated protection standards for buildings and structures into account, surface subsidence is predicted and a backfill mining scheme for pillar recovery is proposed. The results show that of the six mining schemes considered, scheme 5 is the best scheme for coal pillar recovery in the industrial square at the Baishan mine. The research results are significant for similar mines with thick unconsolidated overburden anywhere in the world.     

Numerical simulations for coupled rock deformation and gas leak flow in parallel coal seams

Based on the new viewpoint of interaction mechanics for solid and gas, gas leakage in parallel deformable coal seams can be understood. That is, under the action of varied geophysical fields, the methane gas flow in a double deformable coal seam can be essentially considered to be compressible with time-dependent and mixed permeation and diffusion through a pore-cleat deformable, heterogeneous and anisotropic medium. From this new viewpoint, coupled mathematical models for coal seam deformation and gas leak flow in parallel coal seams were formulated and the numerical simulations for slow gas emission from the parallel coal seams are presented. It is found that coupled models might be close to reality. Meanwhile, a coupled model for solid deformation and gas leak flow can be applied to the problems of gas leak flow including mining engineering, gas drainage engineering and mining safety engineering in particular the prediction of the safe range using protective layer mining where coal and gas outbursts can efficiently be prevented. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Research and application of roadway backfill coal mining technology in western coal mining area

In China’s western coal mining area, the traditional room mining technology is facing coal pillar instability, mine earthquake, large-area roof subsidence in the goaf, surface subsidence, water and soil loss, vegetation deterioration, and other environmental problems. To solve the aforementioned problems and to improve coal recovery, the roadway backfill coal mining (RBCM) method was proposed as a solution and its technical principle and key equipment were presented in this paper. In addition, the microstructure and mechanical behavior (strain-stress relation in confined compressive test) of aeolian sand and loess backfill materials were studied for a rational backfill design for underground mines. Further, coal pillar stress, plastic zone change, and surface deformation of the RBCM schemes were studied using the FLAC^3D numerical simulation software, and a reasonable mining scheme of “mining 7 m and leaving 3 m” was determined. The engineering application in Changxing Coal Mine shows that the RBCM method with loess and aeolian sand as backfill materials allows a stable recovery of coal pillars with a recovery ratio of more than 70 %. The maximum accumulated surface subsidence and the maximum horizontal deformation were measured to be 15 mm and 0.8 mm/m respectively, indicating that the targeted backfilling effect can help protect the environment and also control surface subsidence.     

深部强冲击地压易发矿区厚煤层开采解放层卸压效果数值模拟

为研究深部强冲击厚煤层开采上、下解放层的卸压效果。采用数值模拟方法,分析不开采解放层,开采下解放层,开采上、下解放层条件下,被解放层的应力变化情况及应力变化规律,计算开采下解放层后的合理卸压角,确定解放层平巷位置。模拟结果表明开采上、下解放层后,应力明显减小,但仍存在高应力区,易发生冲击地压,必要条件下应采用其它辅助卸压方式。证明了煤壁前方应力增加区域一般在煤壁前方8～25m。该研究为工作面开采设计提供理论指导,对防治冲击地压具有一定的现实意义。