利用定向岩心进行AE法原地应力测量

在北京市房山区迎风坡花岗闪长岩300m深钻孔中,采用以水泥端帽法为主的岩心定向技术,并在钻进和取心过程中采取特殊措施,在钻孔中距地表25m~301m整个深度段内取得了直径86mm的定向岩心。对深度294m的定向岩心进行了声发射Kaiser效应试验。岩石试件为圆柱形,直径30mm,高度75mm.在垂直方向,利用声发射Kaiser效应估计的垂直主应力为7.7MPa;在294m岩体静岩压力为7.9MPa;两者基本相同。在水平面内,对4个方向的试件进行声发射Kaiser效应试验,得到相应的各个方向的压应力,由此估算的水平最大和最小主应力分别为21.2MPa和12.1MPa.水平面内最大主应力的方向基本为SN方向。将声发射Kaiser效应测量结果与水压致裂法的测量结果进行对比,二者具有很好的一致性。      

Borehole Stability Analysis of Horizontal Drilling in Shale Gas Reservoirs

Serious wellbore instability occurs frequently during horizontal drilling in shale gas reservoirs. The conventional forecast model of in situ stresses is not suitable for wellbore stability analysis in laminated shale gas formations because of the inhomogeneous mechanical properties of shale. In this study, a new prediction method is developed to calculate the in situ stresses in shale formations. The pore pressure near the borehole is heterogeneous along both the radial and tangential directions due to the inhomogeneity in the mechanical properties and permeability. Therefore, the stress state around the wellbore will vary with time after the formation is drained. Besides, based on the experimental results, a failure criterion is verified and applied to determine the strength of Silurian shale in the Sichuan Basin, including the long-term strength of gas shale. Based on this work, horizontal well borehole stability is analyzed by the new in situ stress prediction model. Finally, the results show that the collapse pressure will be underestimated if the conventional model is used in shale gas reservoirs improperly. The collapse pressure of a horizontal well is maximum at dip angle of 45°. The critical mud weight should be increased constantly to prevent borehole collapse if the borehole is exposed for some time.     

In-situ rock stress measurement from rock cores using the acoustic emission method and deformation rate analysis

In this study the possibilities of the acoustic emission (AE) technique and deformation rate analysis (DRA) were investigated to measure in situ rock stress. The rock cores were obtained from three vertically drilled exploratory boreholes from the surface and one borehole drilled from within an underground coal mine. The AE method was found to determine in situ rock stress with reasonable accuracy using AE signatures in repeated loadings of a rock core specimen. Based on the results of in situ stress estimation from the AE method, the time interval, up to seven years, did not strongly influence the previous stress determination using the AE method. Cored rock recollected the in situ stress condition reasonably well (within ±10%), when compared to the results from over coring and hydraulic fracturing technique. Also, there was significant correlation between overburden pressure and estimated vertical stress from the AE method.     

压磁套芯三维原地应力测量研究

压磁套芯解除法是20世纪50年代开始发展起来的原地应力测试技术。为了实现在单一钻孔中进行三维地应力测量研制了单孔全应力计。在简单介绍压磁全应力计结构和计算原理的基础上,通过现场测试,对在锦屏二级水电站地下厂房洞群区压磁套心解除3孔交汇法三维地应力测量和单孔三维地应力测量及水压致裂地应力测量进行了比较分析研究。测量结果表明,在探洞浅部,受局部地形影响,测点的应力分布主要受自重和地形地貌控制,形成特有的“V”型河谷岸坡内的局部应力状态,最大主应力为11 MPa左右,作用方向NNW基本近水平;在探洞深部地应力应力值较高,最大主应力为40 MPa左右,作用方向近直立;随水平埋深的增大最大主应力由近水平状态转变为近直立状态,说明在洞深部自重应力起主导作用。通过三种方法测量结果的对比分析,说明压磁套心解除单孔三维地应力测试技术与压磁套心解除3孔交汇法和水压致裂地应力测试技术具有相同测试精度。     

The impact of tunneling construction on the hydrogeological environment of “Tseng-Wen Reservoir Transbasin Diversion Project” in Taiwan

Groundwater flow and the associated surface water flow are potential negative factors on underground tunnels. Early detection of environmental impacts on water resources is of significant importance to planning, design and construction of tunnel projects, as early detection can minimize accidents and project delays during construction. The groundwater modeling software package Groundwater Modeling System (GMS), which supports the groundwater numerical codes MODFLOW and FEMWATER, was utilized to determine the impact of tunneling excavation on the hydrogeological environment in a regional area around the tunnel and a local hot springs area, at the “Tseng-Wen Reservoir Transbasin Diversion Project”, in Taiwan. A hydrogeological conceptual model was first developed to simplify structures related to the site topography, geology and geological structure. The MODFLOW code was then applied to simulate groundwater flow pattern for the hydrogeological conceptual model in the tunnel area. The automated parameter estimation method was applied to calibrate groundwater level fluctuation and hydrogeological parameters in the region. Calibration of the model demonstrated that errors between simulated and monitored results are smaller than allowable errors. The study also observed that tunneling excavation caused groundwater to flow toward the tunnel. No obvious changes in the groundwater flow field due to tunnel construction were observed far away in the surrounding regions. Furthermore, the FEMWATER code for solving 3-D groundwater flow problems, in which hydrogeological characteristics are integrated into a geographic information system (GIS), is applied to evaluate the impact of tunnel construction on an adjacent hot spring. Simulation results indicated that the groundwater drawdown rate is less than the groundwater recharge rate, and the change to the groundwater table after tunnel construction was insignificant for the hot spring area. Finally, the groundwater flow obtained via the GMS indicated that the hydrogeological conceptual model can estimate the possible quantity of tunnel inflow and the impact of tunnel construction on the regional and local groundwater resources regime of the transbasin diversion project.     

Investigating the capability of deformation rate analysis method in stress estimation: a case study of water conveyance tunnel of Gotvand Dam

Knowledge of the magnitude and orientation of the initial in situ stress of rock mass in underground spaces in mining, construction, and oil projects are so vital; hence, putting it aside could not only cost a lot rather incur some irrecoverable damage. Various methods are available to estimate in situ stress in rock mass. However, the most commonly used one, i.e., hydraulic fracturing (HF) method is considered expensive and time consuming. As a matter of fact, laboratory methods based on drilled “core” have become prevalent these days considering them simple, cheap, and quick. Taking into account one such procedure, i.e., deformation rate analysis (DRA), the current research tries to review the DRA capability in determining the magnitude of initial in situ stress is in different parts of stress–strain curve. Further, an investigation was made about the usage of DRA method for both brittle and ductile rocks. To compare the DRA and hydraulic fracturing methods in in situ stress measurement, the water conveyance tunnel of Gotvand Dam was selected as a case study. The DRA tests were conducted on core samples prepared from blocks of tuff (as brittle) and soft sandstones (as ductile) from shallow quarry. The results show that the DRA method is suitable for all types of intact rock and that this could easily estimate in situ stress values. A comparison between in situ stress values obtained by DRA and those of HF method show the feasibility of geotechnical project, simplicity, speed, and low cost.     

Determination of three-dimensional in situ stresses from anelastic strain recovery measurement of cores at great depth

In order to examine whether the anelastic strain recovery (ASR) method can be applied for determining the in situ stress in hard rocks at great depths, the anelastic strain recovery of oriented cores was measured in six independent directions. The core specimens were taken from four depths within the range of about 2400–4500 m MD at the METI Niitsu well in Japan; the rock materials were mudstone, dolerite, basalt and andesite. For all the rocks the expansional anelastic strains were obtained, the magnitude of the strains in various directions continuously measured for 1 or 2 weeks was of the order of 1000 × 10^− 6 in mudstone; in contrast, strains of the other cores did not exceed a few hundred microstrains. These strains were used for a three-dimensional analysis of the principal in situ stresses. At the third depth, the principal stress directions were considered to be affected by fractures pre-existing near the core, and showed the features of a very local stress state. With the exception of this data, the directions determined by the ASR method were in agreement with those determined using other in situ measurement methods. Based on two assumptions, i.e., (i) the rock stress in vertical direction is equal to density-related gravitational overburden stress, (ii) the ratio of anelastic strain recovery compliance of shear deformation mode and the compliance of volumetric deformation mode is equal to 2, the values of the three principal stresses were estimated. The values of the minimum principal stress in the plane perpendicular to the well axis determined in this study were in agreement with those determined based on extended leak-off tests (ELOT or XLOT) conducted at the same well. Therefore, it can be said that the ASR method is well suited for use in directly determining the directions of principal in situ stresses in three dimensions and in estimating the magnitude of the stresses in isotropic rocks at great depths, such as those encountered when drilling deep into a submarine seismogenic zone.     

测定岩石经历的最高古应力状态实验研究

当前国内外尚无测定三维古构造应力场的理想方法.提出了一种新方法: 从待测地点取大岩心或新鲜石块, 从6个以上方向取岩石试样, 每方向至少10个试样, 以声发射的广义抹录不净现象, 测定岩石经历的各主要构造运动期的最大主应力值.而后, 统计出岩石记忆的最高古应力状态的最大主应力值σ_mt.由于岩石对最高古应力状态在各取样方向的正应力σ_mn尚有记忆, 只不过隐藏于各期较低古应力状态的最大主应力值之间, 不易区分, 故以σ_mt为目标, 通过“AE反演搜索法”, 则可将隐藏的各σ_mn搜索出来, 从而计算出岩石经历的最高古应力状态.以准平面应力状态模拟实验检验了该新方法的可行性.      

The algal community at an ecocline of a cold sulphidic spring (Sovra artesian borehole,Slovenia)

The physicochemical parameters of the sulphide spring water from a 500?m deep artesian borehole in Sovra Valley (Slovenia) are stable, with very little variation: temperature, 9.2 ± 0.0 °C; pH 7.70 ± 0.11; specific electrical conductivity, 777 ± 8 μS/cm; and dissolved oxygen, 0.19 ± 0.11 mg/l. The water from the borehole is hard, rich in sulphates, and has a notable concentration of sulphide, while it is low in chlorides. Communities of phototrophs were analysed at the oxygenic ecocline at the outflow from the borehole, and from further downstream. Caloneis tenuis, Frustulla vulgaris, Gomphonema sp., Navicula radiosa, Oscillatoria sp., and Tribonema vulgare successfully thrive exclusively at the outflow from the borehole under sub-optimum conditions for the majority of phototrophs. Downstream from the borehole, where the hydrogen sulphide degasses, autotrophic biofilms were dominated by different diatoms. The Bray–Curtis similarity index confirms the distinctive phototrophic communities along the oxygenic ecocline downstream from the sulphidic spring. The sulphidic ecocline downstream from the spring is indicative of the composition of phototrophic communities, as some species appear only downstream from the spring. An ecocline downstream from the borehole of the sulphidic spring was reflected also in the bacterial indicator groups. This study brings novel insights to the limited knowledge in the field of oxygenic phototrophy related to sulphidic springs.     

Inference of in situ stress from thermoporoelastic borehole breakouts based on artificial neural network

The determination of in situ stresses is very important in petroleum engineering. Hydraulic fracturing is a widely accepted technique for the determination of in situ stresses nowadays. Unfortunately, the hydraulic fracturing test is time-consuming and expensive. Taking advantage of the shape of borehole breakouts measured from widely available caliper and image logs to determine in situ stress in petroleum engineering is highly attractive. By finite element modeling of borehole breakouts considering thermoporoelasticity, the authors simulate the process of borehole breakouts in terms of initiation, development, and stabilization under Mogi-Coulomb criterion and end up with the shape of borehole breakouts. Artificial neural network provides such a tool to establish the relationship between in situ stress and shape of borehole breakouts, which can be used to determine in situ stress based on different shape of borehole breakouts by inverse analysis. In this paper, two steps are taken to determine in situ stress by inverse analysis. First, sets of finite element modeling provide sets of data on in situ stress and borehole breakout measures considering the influence of drilling fluid temperature and pore pressure, which will be used to train an artificial neural network that can eventually represent the relationship between the in situ stress and borehole breakout measures. Second, for a given measure of borehole breakouts in a certain drilling fluid temperature, the trained artificial neural network will be used to predict the corresponding in situ stress. Results of numerical experiments show that the inverse analysis based on finite element modeling of borehole breakouts and artificial neural network is a promising method to determine in situ stress.     

Microcracks in granite cores from the EPS-1 geothermal drill hole, Soultz-sous-Forêts (France): paleostress directions, paleofluids and crack-related Vp-anisotropies

For the modelling of Hot Dry Rock systems the interactions between macrofractures, prominent microcrack sets and the in situ stress field is of fundamental importance. In this study complete 3D analyses of microcrack orientations were carried out on granitoid samples from the Soultz geothermal borehole (EPS-1). The crack population is dominated by healed cracks in quartz forming three orthogonal sets (I, II, III) with strong preferred orientation, which probably result from superposition of internal thermal stresses during cooling and external tectonic stresses. The inferred orientation of paleo-σ_H is NE–SW. Based on the microthermometry of secondary fluid inclusions it can be assumed that cyclic crack/healing events occurred at P/T conditions roughly ranging between 1 and 2?kbar and 200–400?°C. A younger generation of open cracks in quartz which coincide with macroscopic fractures can be correlated with the Tertiary N–S direction of σ_H. The distribution of P-wave velocities (Vp) was measured by using the pulse transmission technique in 132 propagation directions at confining pressures up to 200?MPa. These Vp data and their variation with confining pressure are a suitable tool for detecting prominent crack patterns and to estimate the crack-controlled in situ properties. The observed bulk Vp anisotropy roughly reflects the composite microcrack fabric and the relative importance of individual sets. It can be assumed that the prominent crack sets represent planes of weakness and hence may cause a mechanically anisotropic behaviour dependent on their orientation with respect to the recent in situ stresses.     

DEM modeling of hydraulic fracturing in permeable rock: influence of viscosity,injection rate and in situ states

Hydraulic fracturing in permeable rock is a complicated process which might be influenced by various factors including the operational parameters (e.g., fluid viscosity, injection rate and borehole diameter) and the in situ conditions (e.g., in situ stress states and initial pore pressure level). To elucidate the effects of these variables, simulations are performed on hollow-squared samples at laboratory scale using fully coupled discrete element method. The model is first validated by comparing the stress around the borehole wall measured numerically with that calculated theoretically. Systematic parametric studies are then conducted. Modeling results reveal that the breakdown pressure and time to fracture stay constant when the viscosity is lower than 0.002 Pa s or higher than 0.2 Pa s but increases significantly when it is between 0.002 and 0.2 Pa s. Raising the injection rate can shorten the time to fracture but dramatically increase the breakdown pressure. Larger borehole diameter leads to the increase in the time to fracture and the reduction in the breakdown pressure. Higher in situ stress requires a longer injection time and higher breakdown pressure. The initial pore pressure, on the other hand, reduces the breakdown pressure as well as the time to fracture. The increase in breakdown pressure with viscosity or injection rate can be attributed to the size effect of greater tensile strength of samples with smaller infiltrated regions.     

Barite and barium in sediments and coral skeletons around the hydrocarbon exploration drilling site in the Træna Deep,Norwegian Sea

Barite and barium concentrations in bottom sediments and coral skeletons from the vicinity of the hydrocarbon exploration well drilled in 1992–1993 in the Træna Deep, Norwegian Sea have been studied to assess the spreading of the drilling mud and related ecological effects on Lophelia petrusa coral reefs. Sand size barite crystals derived from the drilling mud and elevated Ba concentrations in surface (0–2 cm) sediments were found up to 4 km from the exploration drilling site. ²¹⁰Pb-dating results on sediment cores indicate that Ba-rich surface intervals (0–2 cm) record ca. 20 years of sedimentation history, and connect Ba enrichment with exploration drilling. The geographic distribution of Ba contents in sediments allowed the reconstruction of the drilling mud dispersal pattern showing transport eastward from the drilling site, consistent with the prevailing current directions. The presence of relatively coarse-grained sediments and barite crystals trapped in coral polyps, ca. 500 m down current from the drilling site, reflects the elevated turbulence and sediment supply during the drilling activity. This elevated sediment dispersion likely placed a stress upon the coral reefs, but due to strong currents that effectively dilute episodic drilling waste and sediment discharges, the damage does not appear significant.     

In situ stresses and natural fractures in the Northern Perth Basin,Australia

Present-day stress orientations in the Northern Perth Basin have been inferred from borehole breakouts and drilling-induced tensile fractures observed on image logs from eight wells. Stress indicators from these wells give an east – west maximum horizontal stress orientation, consistent with stress-field modelling of the Indo-Australian Plate. Previous interpretations using dipmeter logs indicated anomalous north-directed maximum horizontal stress orientations. However, higher-quality image logs indicate a consistent maximum horizontal stress orientation, perpendicular to dominant north – south and northwest – southeast fault trends in the basin. Vertical stress was calculated from density logs at 21.5 MPa at 1 km depth. Minimum horizontal stress values, estimated from leak-off tests, range from 7.4 MPa at 0.4 km to 21.0 MPa at 0.8 km depth: the greatest values are in excess of the vertical stress. The maximum horizontal stress magnitude was constrained using the relationship between the minimum and maximum horizontal stresses; it ranges from 8.7 MPa at 0.4 km to 21.3 MPa at 1 km depth. These stress magnitudes and evidence of neotectonic reverse faulting indicate a transitional reverse fault to strike-slip fault-stress regime. Two natural fracture sets were interpreted from image logs: (i) a north- to northwest-striking set; and (ii) an east-striking set. The first set is parallel to adjacent north- to northwest-striking faults in the Northern Perth Basin. Several east-striking faults are evident in seismic data, and wells adjacent to east-striking faults exhibit the second east-striking set. Hence, natural fractures are subparallel to seismically resolved faults. Fractures optimally oriented to be critically stressed in the present-day stress regime were probably the cause of fluid losses during drilling. Pre-existing north- to northwest -striking faults that dip moderately have potential for reactivation within the present-day stress regime. Faults that strike north to northwest and have subvertical dips will not reactivate. The east-striking faults and fractures are not critically stressed for reactivation in the Northern Perth Basin.     

Acoustic emission characteristics of a dry sandy soil subjected to drained triaxial compression

Acoustic emission (AE) technique that is capable of diagnosing the failure process of stressed materials has rarely reported its application to sandy soils subjected to triaxial compression. In this paper, drained triaxial compression tests incorporating with a high-performance AE measurement system were conducted for dry sands with different confining stresses and initial relative densities. Generally, an increased confining stress or initial relative density generates more acoustic emissions, while there also exist exceptions due to different failure patterns. A good resemblance between stress–strain and AE hit rate–strain relations was observed, and power functions between the mechanical parameters and AE hit rate were well established regardless of different confining stresses and initial relative densities. Besides, the behavioral state of yield and peak during compression could be also evaluated by AE hit rate, compared with conventional stress–strain determination. Particularly, the peak AE hit rate is found not always synchronous to but fluctuating at around the peak stress depending on different failure patterns, which might provide beneficial insights into the incipient failure of sands. The present good consistencies suggest that AE characteristics could be used as alternative parameters to evaluate and even predict the mechanical behavior of dry sands.

     

Effect of Blast-Induced Vibration from New Railway Tunnel on Existing Adjacent Railway Tunnel in Xinjiang, China

The vibrations of existing service tunnels induced by blast-excavation of adjacent tunnels have attracted much attention from both academics and engineers during recent decades in China. The blasting vibration velocity (BVV) is the most widely used controlling index for in situ monitoring and safety assessment of existing lining structures. Although numerous in situ tests and simulations had been carried out to investigate blast-induced vibrations of existing tunnels due to excavation of new tunnels (mostly by bench excavation method), research on the overall dynamical response of existing service tunnels in terms of not only BVV but also stress/strain seemed limited for new tunnels excavated by the full-section blasting method. In this paper, the impacts of blast-induced vibrations from a new tunnel on an existing railway tunnel in Xinjiang, China were comprehensively investigated by using laboratory tests, in situ monitoring and numerical simulations. The measured data from laboratory tests and in situ monitoring were used to determine the parameters needed for numerical simulations, and were compared with the calculated results. Based on the results from in situ monitoring and numerical simulations, which were consistent with each other, the original blasting design and corresponding parameters were adjusted to reduce the maximum BVV, which proved to be effective and safe. The effect of both the static stress before blasting vibrations and the dynamic stress induced by blasting on the total stresses in the existing tunnel lining is also discussed. The methods and related results presented could be applied in projects with similar ground and distance between old and new tunnels if the new tunnel is to be excavated by the full-section blasting method.     

地裂缝错动对地铁区间隧道影响的三维离散元分析

拟建西安地铁2号线穿越10条地裂缝,地裂缝活动将影响地铁2号线的安全运营。应用三维离散元程序3DEC建立三维计算模型,分析了裂缝带错动对地铁区间隧道盾构管线的影响,得出了不同错距工况下隧道衬砌的变形和应力。通过计算得知,当土体上下盘底部竖向错距由10cm增大到93cm时,引起的衬砌竖向变形量由0. 712cm增大到13. 99cm,且最大变形均发生在沿纵向约35～36m处,距裂缝带距离约为9. 5～8. 5m;引起的管道纵向最大拉应力则由0. 65MPa增大到18. 43MPa,最大压应力由0. 611MPa增大到16. 9MPa,且最大应力区与最大变形区一致。这一结论的获得可为地铁设计、施工及其安全运营提供科学的理论指导及设计依据。     

低应力区岩石变形记忆效应形成机制及失忆性

地应力信息储存于开挖后的岩石中,变形率变化法(DRA)是基于岩石变形记忆效应测量地应力的方法,正确的机制是认识变形记忆效应与推广、改进DRA法的基础。传统推测的机制并不能解释低应力区存在变形记忆效应及失忆性等现象。首先进行火山沉积岩试样的物理试验,证明低应力区仍然存在变形记忆效应,记忆信息可同时采用侧向应变及轴向应变测量,两者精度一致。提出在低应力区,岩石变形记忆效应机制为微裂纹接触面及颗粒接触面的摩擦滑动。基于此机制,采用弹性元件、黏性元件和圣维南体构建相应的轴对称理论基本单元模型及多接触面理论模型。进行不同放置时间下的单轴循环压缩试验。结果表明,由轴对称理论模型可以得到低应力区岩石变形记忆效应、侧向DRA曲线与轴向DRA曲线准确度一致且在记忆信息处向上弯曲等、并对失忆性现象进行了初探。理论模型与物理试验结果一致,由此证明微裂纹接触面及颗粒接触面的摩擦滑动可以得到低应力区岩石变形记忆效应。同时,理论模型及物理试验结果为提高DRA法的测量准确度提供了依据。     

Hydraulic fracturing stress measurements and in-situ stress field in the Kanto — Tokai area,Japan

Hydraulic fracturing stress measurements have been made in fifteen boreholes of various depths from 100 to 800 m in the Kanto-Tokai area since 1978. About 90 sets of in-situ stresses have been obtained successfully. The maximum and minimum horizontal compressive stresses increase linearly with depth in each borehole. The difference between the maximum and minimum principal stresses also increases with depth. The increase of stress difference with depth is interpreted in terms of large stress relaxation in shallow parts of the boreholes where low confining pressure and many pre-existing microcracks are dominant. The maximum shear stress at a depth of 400 m ranges from 1 to 8 MPa depending on the site. It is not always the case that the regions of small shear stresses are inactive in microseismicity and crustal movement. This phenomenon is attributed to the relaxation of shear stress at the measured depths and to the regional variation in increasing rate of shear stress. The maximum compressive stress direction is obtained from detection of the fracture azimuth after hydraulic fracturing. Stress direction measured at each borehole agrees well with that estimated from geologic and seismic methods near the measurement site. Several stress provinces where the stress directions appear almost uniform are defined in the Kanto-Tokai area. The regional distribution of the stress directions is understood in terms of the relative movement of three plates, the Philippine Sea, Pacific, and Eurasian plates, which are in contact with each other in this area.     

Coal Mine Roadway Stability in Soft Rock: A Case Study

Roadway instability has always been a major concern in deep underground coal mines where the surrounding rock strata and coal seams are weak and the in situ stresses are high. Under the high overburden and tectonic stresses, roadways could collapse or experience excessive deformation, which not only endangers mining personnel but could also reduce the functionality of the roadway and halt production. This paper describes a case study on the stability of roadways in an underground coal mine in Shanxi Province, China. The mine was using a longwall method to extract coal at a depth of approximately 350 m. Both the coal seam and surrounding rock strata were extremely weak and vulnerable to weathering. Large roadway deformation and severe roadway instabilities had been experienced in the past, hence, an investigation of the roadway failure mechanism and new support designs were needed. This study started with an in situ stress measurement programme to determine the stress orientation and magnitude in the mine. It was found that the major horizontal stress was more than twice the vertical stress in the East–West direction, perpendicular to the gateroads of the longwall panel. The high horizontal stresses and low strength of coal and surrounding rock strata were the main causes of roadway instabilities. Detailed numerical modeling was conducted to evaluate the roadway stability and deformation under different roof support scenarios. Based on the modeling results, a new roadway support design was proposed, which included an optimal cable/bolt arrangement, full length grouting, and high pre-tensioning of bolts and cables. It was expected the new design could reduce the roadway deformation by 50 %. A field experiment using the new support design was carried out by the mine in a 100 m long roadway section. Detailed extensometry and stress monitorings were conducted in the experimental roadway section as well as sections using the old support design. The experimental section produced a much better roadway profile than the previous roadway sections. The monitoring data indicated that the roadway deformation in the experimental section was at least 40–50 % less than the previous sections. This case study demonstrated that through careful investigation and optimal support design, roadway stability in soft rock conditions can be significantly improved.