Numerical Simulation of the Lagging Water Inrush Process from Insidious Fault in Coal Seam Floor

Because of insidious fault’s concealing performance and lagging nature, water inrush from insidious faults in coal seam floor can cause great threads to the mine safety. Based on analyzing the engineering geology conceptual model, this paper simulated the insidious fault lagging water inrush process and showed the lift height of the confined water in the insidious fault fractured zone (LHCWIFFZ) and the formation of water inrush channel. Then the concept of the potential water inrush channel with time effect was put forward. In order to further illustrate the time effect of the lagging water inrush from insidious fault, theoretical analysis was made from two aspects of the time effect of the plastic zone development height in the insidious fault fractured zone (PZDHIFFZ) based on the differential flow deformation theory and the time effect of water inrush channel in the upper part of the insidious fault (WICUPIF) based on the subcritical crack propagation theory. Simulation results showed that the results are basically consistent with mining practice.