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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Earth Sci.
Sec. Solid Earth Geophysics
Volume 13 - 2025 |
doi: 10.3389/feart.2025.1538324
This article is part of the Research Topic Advanced Materials and Technologies for Sustainable Development of Underground Resources View all 26 articles
Characterizing the deformation, failure, and water-conducting fractures evolution of shallow weakly cemented overburden under coal mining
Provisionally accepted
Zhenhua Li 1* Yandong Zhang 2* Xuefeng Gao 1,3*
Dan Ma 1,3* Guodong Li 4* Xiaolei Li 5* Min He 6* Zheng Cheng 7*- 1 Henan Mine Water Disaster Prevention and Control and Water Resources Utilization Engineering Technology Research Center, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, Henan, China, Jiaozuo, China
- 2 Shenhua New Street Energy Co., Ltd, Ordos 017000, China, Ordos, China
- 3 China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, China
- 4 Jiaozuo Coal Group Co., Ltd., Jiaozuo 454000, China, Jiaozuo, China
- 5 Jiaozuo Coal Industry (Group) Xinxiang Energy Co., Ltd. , Jiaozuo 454000, China, Jiaozuo, China
- 6 Xinqiao Coal Mine of Yongmei Group Co., Ltd, Shangqiu 476600, China, Shangqiu, China
- 7 Zhengzhou coal industry (Group) Yanghe Coal Industry Co., Ltd, Xinmi 452300, China, Xinmi, China
Understanding the collapse mechanisms of shallow, multi-layered, weakly cemented overburden is key to safe and efficient coal mining in central and western China. Hence, we conducted a meter-scale similar physical model experiment using high-resolution digital speckle technology to replicate the deformation and failure patterns of shallowly buried, weakly cemented overburden under mining activities, and to determine the initiation, development, and stability of water-conducting fractures.Additionally, a site-scale numerical model was developed to allow for the examination of the stress-displacement evolution within the weakly cemented overburden. The results indicate that the maximum vertical displacements at key locations such as the basic roof, the weakly cemented critical layer, and the surface were 8.9 m, 8.65 m, and 8.2 m, respectively. The collapse step distance of the basic roof was 22.4 m, and the maximum collapse height reached 48 m. After the weakly cemented critical layer failed, the overlying strata collapsed accordingly, with the actual water-conducting fracture zone reaching a maximum height of 96.3 m. After the completion of coal mining, the overburden experienced four periodic collapses. As the working face advanced, the overburden in the center of the mined-out area showed a state of stress release, while the overburden on both sides exhibited stress concentration. The maximum vertical stresses in the siltstone and sandstone were 6.7 MPa and 1.9 MPa, with stress concentration factors of 2.2 and 0.6, respectively. This study provides valuable insights into the safety management of weakly cemented overburden.
Keywords: Weakly cemented overburden, Overburden failure, Water-conducting fractures, Similar physical model, Coal Mining
Received: 02 Dec 2024; Accepted: 17 Jan 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Li, Zhang, Gao, Ma, Li, Li, He and Cheng. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Zhenhua Li, Henan Mine Water Disaster Prevention and Control and Water Resources Utilization Engineering Technology Research Center, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, Henan, China, Jiaozuo, China
Yandong Zhang, Shenhua New Street Energy Co., Ltd, Ordos 017000, China, Ordos, China
Xuefeng Gao, Henan Mine Water Disaster Prevention and Control and Water Resources Utilization Engineering Technology Research Center, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, Henan, China, Jiaozuo, China
Dan Ma, Henan Mine Water Disaster Prevention and Control and Water Resources Utilization Engineering Technology Research Center, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo 454003, Henan, China, Jiaozuo, China
Guodong Li, Jiaozuo Coal Group Co., Ltd., Jiaozuo 454000, China, Jiaozuo, China
Xiaolei Li, Jiaozuo Coal Industry (Group) Xinxiang Energy Co., Ltd. , Jiaozuo 454000, China, Jiaozuo, China
Min He, Xinqiao Coal Mine of Yongmei Group Co., Ltd, Shangqiu 476600, China, Shangqiu, China
Zheng Cheng, Zhengzhou coal industry (Group) Yanghe Coal Industry Co., Ltd, Xinmi 452300, China, Xinmi, China
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