Study of the influence of coal column width on the stress-fracture-displacement evolution law in sequential coal seam mining

Abstract The connectivity of the fissures in the adjacent air section represents a crucial foundation for the deployment of surface gas extraction drill holes in abandoned mines. To elucidate the impact of coal column width on overlying rock movement and fissure development in adjacent mine openings...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ge Huang, Hexuan Li, Fengwei Dai, Xun Zhang, Wei Gao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-92958-x
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849392214685253632
author Ge Huang
Hexuan Li
Fengwei Dai
Xun Zhang
Wei Gao
author_facet Ge Huang
Hexuan Li
Fengwei Dai
Xun Zhang
Wei Gao
author_sort Ge Huang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The connectivity of the fissures in the adjacent air section represents a crucial foundation for the deployment of surface gas extraction drill holes in abandoned mines. To elucidate the impact of coal column width on overlying rock movement and fissure development in adjacent mine openings, a theoretical derivation and discrete element simulation approach was employed, utilizing the 8# coal seam in Baode Mine as a case study. The results demonstrate that, as a consequence of mining activities, the stress within the overlying rock layer of the mining area exhibits a distinctive pattern, comprising four distinct phases: concentration-unloading(yielding)-recovery-unloading-concentration. This pattern is observed to intensify with increasing coal column width. The elastic region in the center of the segmental coal column begins to appear as the width of the coal column increases. In addition, the vertical stress curve undergoes a transition from a single-peaked to a double-peaked configuration. Furthermore, the peak of the stress value demonstrates a decline in both velocity and magnitude. The peak stress value demonstrates a decelerating and decreasing trend. The coal column in the section transitions from a completely unstable state to a stable state in a gradual manner. The connectivity between the adjacent mining areas shifts from a completely through state to a gradually closed state. The sinking amount of the coal column in the section decreases from 2.56 m in the unstable state to 0.49 m in the 30 m width and exhibits a tendency towards stability. The findings of the theoretical derivation and simulation analysis suggest that the optimal width for coal columns in the section is approximately 20–25 m.
format Article
id doaj-art-8b9b87a4b2fb4237b5ccc688973d20f9
institution Kabale University
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-8b9b87a4b2fb4237b5ccc688973d20f92025-08-20T03:40:49ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-03-0115111910.1038/s41598-025-92958-xStudy of the influence of coal column width on the stress-fracture-displacement evolution law in sequential coal seam miningGe Huang0Hexuan Li1Fengwei Dai2Xun Zhang3Wei Gao4College of Safety Science and Engineering, Liaoning Technical UniversityCollege of Safety Science and Engineering, Liaoning Technical UniversityCollege of Safety Science and Engineering, Liaoning Technical UniversityCollege of Mining Engineering, Liaoning Technical UniversityCollege of Safety Science and Engineering, Liaoning Technical UniversityAbstract The connectivity of the fissures in the adjacent air section represents a crucial foundation for the deployment of surface gas extraction drill holes in abandoned mines. To elucidate the impact of coal column width on overlying rock movement and fissure development in adjacent mine openings, a theoretical derivation and discrete element simulation approach was employed, utilizing the 8# coal seam in Baode Mine as a case study. The results demonstrate that, as a consequence of mining activities, the stress within the overlying rock layer of the mining area exhibits a distinctive pattern, comprising four distinct phases: concentration-unloading(yielding)-recovery-unloading-concentration. This pattern is observed to intensify with increasing coal column width. The elastic region in the center of the segmental coal column begins to appear as the width of the coal column increases. In addition, the vertical stress curve undergoes a transition from a single-peaked to a double-peaked configuration. Furthermore, the peak of the stress value demonstrates a decline in both velocity and magnitude. The peak stress value demonstrates a decelerating and decreasing trend. The coal column in the section transitions from a completely unstable state to a stable state in a gradual manner. The connectivity between the adjacent mining areas shifts from a completely through state to a gradually closed state. The sinking amount of the coal column in the section decreases from 2.56 m in the unstable state to 0.49 m in the 30 m width and exhibits a tendency towards stability. The findings of the theoretical derivation and simulation analysis suggest that the optimal width for coal columns in the section is approximately 20–25 m.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-92958-xOverlying rock fractureSequential miningSector coal columnStress and displacement distributionPFC numerical simulation
spellingShingle Ge Huang
Hexuan Li
Fengwei Dai
Xun Zhang
Wei Gao
Study of the influence of coal column width on the stress-fracture-displacement evolution law in sequential coal seam mining
Scientific Reports
Overlying rock fracture
Sequential mining
Sector coal column
Stress and displacement distribution
PFC numerical simulation
title Study of the influence of coal column width on the stress-fracture-displacement evolution law in sequential coal seam mining
title_full Study of the influence of coal column width on the stress-fracture-displacement evolution law in sequential coal seam mining
title_fullStr Study of the influence of coal column width on the stress-fracture-displacement evolution law in sequential coal seam mining
title_full_unstemmed Study of the influence of coal column width on the stress-fracture-displacement evolution law in sequential coal seam mining
title_short Study of the influence of coal column width on the stress-fracture-displacement evolution law in sequential coal seam mining
title_sort study of the influence of coal column width on the stress fracture displacement evolution law in sequential coal seam mining
topic Overlying rock fracture
Sequential mining
Sector coal column
Stress and displacement distribution
PFC numerical simulation
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-92958-x
work_keys_str_mv AT gehuang studyoftheinfluenceofcoalcolumnwidthonthestressfracturedisplacementevolutionlawinsequentialcoalseammining
AT hexuanli studyoftheinfluenceofcoalcolumnwidthonthestressfracturedisplacementevolutionlawinsequentialcoalseammining
AT fengweidai studyoftheinfluenceofcoalcolumnwidthonthestressfracturedisplacementevolutionlawinsequentialcoalseammining
AT xunzhang studyoftheinfluenceofcoalcolumnwidthonthestressfracturedisplacementevolutionlawinsequentialcoalseammining
AT weigao studyoftheinfluenceofcoalcolumnwidthonthestressfracturedisplacementevolutionlawinsequentialcoalseammining