• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.212-223
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• 2014

In this study, the stability analyses for metal mine roadways at a great depth were performed. In-situ stress measurements using hydrofracturing, numerous laboratory tests for rock cores and GSI & RMR classifications were conducted in order to find the physical properties of both intact rock and in-situ rock mass distributed in the studied metal mine. Through the scenario analysis and probabilistic assessment on the results of rock mass classification, the in-situ ground conditions of mine roadways were divided into the best, the average and the worst cases, respectively. The roadway stabilities corresponding to the respective conditions were assessed by way of the elasto-plastic analysis. In addition, the appropriate roadway shapes and the support patterns were examined through the numerical analyses considering the blast damaged zone around roadway. It was finally shown to be necessary to reduce the radius of roadway roof curvature and/or to install the crown reinforcement in order to enhance the stability of studied mine roadways.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.567-582
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• 2022

In the present study, a series of physical experiments and numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the effects of mode I and mixed-mode I/II cracks on the fracture modes and stability of roadway tunnel models. The experiments and simulations incorporated different inclination angle flaws under both static and dynamic loads. The quasi-static and dynamic testing were conducted by using an electro-hydraulic servo control device and drop weight impact system (DWIS), and the failure process was simulated by using rock failure process analysis (RFPA) and AUTODYN software. The stress intensity factor was also calculated to evaluate the stability of the flawed roadway tunnel models by using ABAQUS software. According to comparisons between the test and numerical results, it is observed that for flawed roadways with a single radical crack and inclination angle of 45°, the static and dynamic stability are the lowest relative to other angles of fractured rock masses. For mixed-mode I/II cracks in flawed roadway tunnel models under dynamic loading, a wing crack is produced and the pre-existing cracks increase the stress concentration factor in the right part of the specimen, but this factor will not be larger than the maximum principal stress region in the roadway tunnel models. Additionally, damage to the sidewalls will be involved in the flawed roadway tunnel models under static loads.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.401-420
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• 2016

The stability of deep coal roadways with large sections and thick top coal is a typical challenge in many coal mines in China. The innovative Universal Discrete Element Code (UDEC) trigon block is adopted to create a numerical model based on a case study at the Dongtan coal mine in China to better understand the failure mechanism and stability control mechanism of this kind of roadway. The failure process of an unsupported roadway is simulated, and the results suggest that the deformation of the roof is more serious than that of the sides and floor, especially in the center of the roof. The radial stress that is released is more intense than the tangential stress, while a large zone of relaxation appears around the roadway. The failure process begins from partial failure at roadway corners, and then propagates deeper into the roof and sides, finally resulting in large deformation in the roadway. A combined support system is proposed to support roadways based on an analysis of the simulation results. The numerical simulation and field monitoring suggest that the availability of this support method is feasible both in theory and practice, which can provide helpful references for research on the failure mechanisms and scientific support designing of engineering in deep coal mines.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.449-460
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• 2020

The double-lane arrangement model is frequently used in underground coal mines because it is beneficial to improve the mining efficiency of the working face. When the double-lane arrangement is used, the service time of the reserved roadway increases by twice, which causes several difficulties for the maintenance of the roadway. Given the severe non-uniform deformation of the reserved roadway in the Buertai Coal Mine, the stress distribution law in the mining area, the failure characteristics of roadway and the control effect of support resistance (SR) were systematically studied through on-site monitoring, FLAC 3D numerical simulation, mechanical model analysis. The research shows that the deformation and failure of the reserved roadway mainly manifested as asymmetrical roof sag and floor heave in the region behind the working face, and the roof dripping phenomenon occurred in the severe roof sag area. After the coal is mined out, the stress adjustment around goaf will happen to some extent. For example, the magnitude, direction, and confining pressure ratio of the principal stress at different positions will change. Under the influence of high-stress rotation, the plastic zone of the weak surrounding rock is expanded asymmetrically, which finally leads to the asymmetric failure of roadway. The existing roadway support has a limited effect on the control of the stress field and plastic zone, i.e., the anchor cable reinforcement cannot fully control the roadway deformation under given conditions. Based on obtained results, using roadway grouting and advanced hydraulic support during the secondary mining of the panel 22205 is proposed to ensure roadway safety. This study provides a reference for the stability control of roadway with similar geological conditions.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.27-37
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• 2024

The roof-filling body system stability plays a key role in gob-side entry retained (GER). Taking the GER of the 1103 belt transportation roadway in Heilong Coal Mine as engineering background, stability analysis of roof-filling body system was conducted based on the cusp catastrophe theory. Theoretical results showed that the current design parameters of 1103 belt transportation roadway could ensure the roof-filling body system stable during the resistance-increasing support stage of the filling body and the stable support stage of the filling body. Moreover, a verified global numerical model in FLAC3D was established to analyze the failure characteristics including surrounding rock deformation, stress distribution, and plastic zone. Numerical simulation indicated that the width-height ratio of the filling body had a great influence on the stability of the roof-filling body system. When the width-height ratio was greater than 0.62, with the decrease of the width-height ratio, the peak stress of the filling body gradually decreased; when the width-height ratio was greater than 0.92, as the distance to the roadway increased, the roof stress increased and then decreased. The theoretical analysis and numerical simulation findings in this study provide a new research method to analyze the stability of the roof-filling body system in GER.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.537-550
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• 2021

There are various technical problems need to be solved in the construction process of pre-setting an isolation wall into a double lane in the outburst prone mine. This study presents a methodology that pre-setting an isolation wall into a double lane without a coal pillar. This requires the excavation of two small section roadways to dig a wide section roadway, followed by construction of the separation wall. During this process the connecting lane is reserved. In order to ensure the stability of the separation wall, the required bearing capacity of the isolation wall is 4.66 MN/m and the deformation of the isolation wall is approximately 25 cm. To reduce the difficulty of implementing support the roadway is driven by 5 m/d. After the construction of the separation wall, the left side coal wall is brushed 1.5 m to make the width of the gas roadway reach 2.5 m and the roadway support utilizes anchor rod, ladder beam, anchor cable beam and net configuration. During construction, the concrete pump and removable self-propelled hydraulic wall mold are used to pump and pour the concrete of the isolation wall. In the process of mining, the stress distribution of coal body and isolation wall is detected and measured on site. The results demonstrate that the deformation of the surrounding rock of roadway and separation of roof in the roadway is small. The stress of the bolt and anchor cable is within equipment tolerance validating their selection. The roadway is well supported and the intended goal is achieved. The methodology can be used for reference for similar mine gas control.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.429-437
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• 2018

In order to reduce deformation of roadway floor heave in deep underground soft rockmass, four support design patterns were analyzed using the Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua (FLAC)3D, including the traditional bolting (Design 1), the bolting with the backbreak in floor (Design 2), the full anchorage bolting with the backbreak in floor (Design 3) and the full anchorage bolting with the bolt-grouting backbreak in floor (Design 4). Results show that the design pattern 4, the full anchorage bolting with the bolt-grouting backbreak in floor, was the best one to reduce the deformation and failure of the roadway, the floor deformation was reduced at 88.38% than the design 1, and these parameters, maximum vertical stress, maximum horizontal displacement and maximum horizontal stress, were greater than 1.69%, 5.96% and 9.97%. However, it was perfectly acceptable with the floor heave results. The optimized design pattern 4 provided a meaningful and reliable support for the roadway in deep underground coal mine.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.293-306
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• 2024

Influenced by the alternating effects of dynamic and static pressure during the mining process of close range coal seams, the surrounding rock support of cross mining roadway is difficult and the deformation mechanism is complex, which has become an important problem affecting the safe and efficient production of coal mines. The paper takes the inclined longwall mining of the 10304 working face of Zhongheng coal mine as the engineering background, analyzes the key strata fracture mechanism of the large inclined right-angle trapezoidal mining field, explores the stress distribution characteristics and transmission law of the surrounding rock of the roadway affected by the mining of the inclined coal seam, and proposes a segmented and hierarchical support method for the cross mining roadway affected by the mining of the close range coal seam group. The research results indicate that based on the derived expressions for shear and tensile fracture of key strata, the ultimate pushing distance and ultimate suspended area of a right angle trapezoidal mining area can be calculated and obtained. Within the cross mining section, along the horizontal direction of the coal wall of the working face, the peak shear stress is located near the middle of the boundary. The cracks on the floor of the cross mining roadway gradually develop in an elliptical funnel shape from the shallow to the deep. The dual coupling support system composed of active anchor rod support and passive U-shaped steel shed support proposed in this article achieves effective control of the stability of cross mining roadways, which achieves effective control of floor by coupling active support and preventive passive support to improve the strength of the surrounding rock itself. The research results are of great significance for guiding the layout, support control, and safe mining of cross mining roadways, and to some extent, can further enrich and improve the relevant theories of roof movement and control.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.179-194
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• 2021

In this paper, to study the stability of surrounding rock during roadway excavation in different rock mass structures, the physical model test for roadway excavation process in three types of intact rock mass, layered rock mass and massive rock mass were carried out by using the self-developed two-dimensional simulation testing system of complex underground engineering. Firstly, based on the engineering background of a deep mine in eastern China, the similar materials of the most appropriate ratio in line with the similarity theory were tested, compared and determined. Then, the physical models of four different schemes with 1000 mm (height) × 1000 mm (length) × 250 mm (width) were constructed. Finally, the roadway excavation was carried out after applying boundary conditions to the physical model by the simulation testing system. The results indicate that the supporting effect of rockbolts has a great influence on the shallow surrounding rock, and the rock mass structure can affect the overall stability of the surrounding rock. Furthermore, the failure mechanism and bearing capacity of surrounding rock were further discussed from the comparison of stress evolution characteristics, distribution of stress arch, and failure modes in different schemes.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.195-215
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• 2017

This paper proposes gob-side entry retaining by roof break and filling in thick-layer soft rock conditions based on the thick-layer soft rock roof strata migration law and the demand for non-pillar gob-side entry retaining projects. The functional expressions of main roof subsidence are derived for three break roof direction conditions: lateral deflection toward the roadway, lateral deflection toward the gob and vertically to the roof. These are derived according to the load-bearing boundary conditions of the main roadway roof stratum. It is concluded that the break roof angle is an important factor influencing the stability of gob-side entry retaining surrounding rock. This paper studies the stress distribution characteristics and plastic damage scope of gob-side entry retaining integrated coal seams, as well as the roof strata migration law and the supporting stability of caving structure filled on the break roof layer at the break roof angles of $-5^{\circ}$, $0^{\circ}$, $5^{\circ}$, $10^{\circ}$ and $15^{\circ}$ are studied. The simulation results of numerical analysis indicate that, the stress concentration and plastic damage scope to the sides of gob-side entry retaining integrated coal at the break roof angle of $5^{\circ}$ are reduced and shearing stress concentration of the caving filling body has been eliminated. The disturbance of coal mining to the roadway roof and loss of carrying capacity are mitigated. Field tests have been carried out on air-return roadway 5203 with the break roof angle of $5^{\circ}$. The monitoring indicates that the break roof filling section and compaction section are located at 0-45 m and 45-75 m behind the working face, respectively. The section from 75-100 m tends to be stable.