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Stability Mechanism and Control Technology for Fully Mechanized Caving Mining of Steeply Inclined Extra-Thick Seams with Variable Angles

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Abstract

Fully mechanized top caving mining of steeply inclined extra-thick seams with variable angles has complex roof rock movement, failure, caving, and filling mechanisms. Moreover, the variable-angle coal seams make rock–equipment stability control challenging. We analyzed rock deformation and failure mechanisms, overburden bearing structures, and working characteristics of supports through physical simulations, field tests, and theoretical analysis of the no. 120210 working face of Zaoquan Coal Mine. Overburden rock movement has distinct regional characteristics, with a large caving height (to the main roof layer) in the upper area, and lower caving height (to the lower main roof) in the lower area. Support loading is regional and unbalanced along the inclined direction. The critical layer of overlying strata migrates, and bearing structures formed by breaking the critical layer exhibit cross-layer generalization along the inclination. The upper region has a cantilever beam structure in the basic roof rock layer; the lower region has an inclined masonry structure with multistage ladders in the breakage basic roof rock layer. Application of a false-inclined working face layout with the tailgate ahead of the headgate and an arc arrangement (radius 28.65 m, arc length 10–20 m) in variable angle areas, and regional control of support working resistance and top-coal caving amounts, control regional failure overburden. Safe and efficient mining was achieved, with the monthly production and recovery rates reaching 344,900 t and 85.86%, respectively. Our results expand the scope of fully mechanized top caving mining and have important theoretical and technological significance.

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Acknowledgments

The background data of the No. 120210 working face and the on-site monitoring equipment and technologies were provided by the Production and Technology Department of Zaoquan Coal Mine. The physical similarity simulation experiment and numerical calculation platform was provided by the Key Laboratory of Western Mine Exploitation and Hazard Prevention and the State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources in Western China.

Funding

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of the People’s Republic of China (grant numbers 51634007 and 51974230), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (grant number 2018M633539), the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province (grant numbers 2016JQ5019 and 2019JM-205), the Postdoctoral Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province (grant number 2018BSHEDZZ25), and the Major Science and Technology Innovation Projects in Shandong Province (grant number 2019JZZY020326). The APC was funded by Wang Hongwei.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Energy and Mining Engineering, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an, 710054, China

    Wang Hongwei, Wu Yongping & Jiao Jianqiang

  2. Key Laboratory of Western Mine Exploitation and Hazard Prevention, Ministry of Education, Xi’an, 710054, China

    Wang Hongwei & Wu Yongping

  3. State Key Laboratory of Coal Resources in Western China, Xi’an, 710054, China

    Wang Hongwei & Wu Yongping

  4. Yanbei Coal Mine, Huating Coal Industry Group, Huating, 744100, China

    Cao Peipei

Authors
  1. Wang Hongwei
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  2. Wu Yongping
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  3. Jiao Jianqiang
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  4. Cao Peipei
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Contributions

W.H. and W.Y. conceived and designed the experiments; C.P. performed the experiments and field test; J.J. and C.P. analyzed the data; W.H., J.J., and C.P. contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools; W.H. wrote the paper. All authors have read and agreed with the published version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Wang Hongwei.

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Hongwei, W., Yongping, W., Jianqiang, J. et al. Stability Mechanism and Control Technology for Fully Mechanized Caving Mining of Steeply Inclined Extra-Thick Seams with Variable Angles. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 38, 1047–1057 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-020-00360-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-020-00360-0

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