Mechanisms of Thick-Hard Roof and Thin Aquifer Zone Floor Destruction and the Evolution Law of Water Inrush
Authors: Cao Min , Yin Shangxian , Li Shuqian , Wang Xu 
Published: August 2024

The collapse of thick-hard roofs after coal has been extracted is not a consequential process in all cases. Rather, it happens due to the augmentation of high stress conducted at depth, followed by a wider range of damage as the floor cracks. The extent and spread of the cracks in the floor indicate the intensity of the collapse, and the mine will be submerged by the high-pressure water of the coal ash. Therefore, it is particularly important to study the mechanism of the combined effect of high stress on the roof and confined aquifer on the deformation and failure of the coal seam mining floor. This study analyzes and compares the impact of thick-hard magmatic rocks on the destruction of thin floor rock layers in coal seams. Plastic theory calculations are used to determine the plastic zone yield length of floor destruction under hard roof conditions, and the location and height of the maximum floor destruction depth are solved. An empirical formula and BP neural network are used to establish a prediction model for floor destruction. The results of the model’s prediction of the depth of floor failure were compared with the measured values, with an absolute error of 2.13 m and a residual of 10.3%, which was closer to the true values. The accuracy of the theoretical model and prediction model is verified using numerical simulation and on-site in situ measurements. Based on this, the deformation and destruction forms of the floor under pressure and the water inrush mechanism are summarized for mining under the condition of a thick-hard roof. Thus, the floor is subjected to high vertical stress, accompanied by significant disturbances generated during coal seam mining, resulting in intense working face pressures. The floor near the working face coal wall will experience severe compression and shear deformation and slide towards the goaf. The floor in the goaf is relieved of high vertical stress, and horizontal stress compression will result in shear failure, leading to floor heave and further increasing the height of the floor destruction zone. After the mining of the working face, the goaf will undergo two stages of re-supporting and post-mining compaction. During the re-supporting stage, the floor rock undergoes a transition from high-stress to low-stress conditions, and the instantaneous stress relief will cause plastic deformation and failure in the coal seam floor. The combined action of primary floor fractures and secondary fractures formed during mining can easily create effective water channels. These can connect to the aquifer or water-conducting structures, making them highly dangerous. The main modes of floor water inrush under the condition of a thick-hard roof are as follows: the high-stress mode, inducing a floor destruction zone connected to the water riser zone; the mining damage mode, connecting to water-conducting faults; the mining damage mode, connecting to water collapse columns; and the coupled water inrush mode, between the mining damage zone and the highly pressurized water floor.