Pressure-Relief Mining of the Working Face Under the Coal Pillar in the Close Distance Coal Seams

Intensive strata behaviors are generated when the No. 8707 working face of the 8# coal seam in a coal mine is advanced by way of the pillars left over of the upper part of 7# close distance coal seam. The theoretical analysis, numerical simulation and filed measurement were utilized to obtain the rule of the stress change when the 8707 working face of the 8# coal seam passes the pillars left over of the 7# coal seam. Meanwhile, a pressure-relief mining (PRM) technology was put forward. According to the research results, when the 8707 working face in the 8# coal seam was advanced to the position that was 20 m in front of the pillar left over, the abutment pressure reached the maximum for 26 MPa and the stress concentration factor was 3.25, which was likely to give rise to the rock burst. With the advance of the working face, the abutment pressure was reduced slowly. As the 8707 working face advanced 15 m away the pillar left over, the transfixed shear failure region of 45° was found in the bedrocks of the upper and lower coal seams, which was readily to give rise to the shear rupture, leading to the rock burst. Based on the aforementioned research, this research carried out the PRM by applying the hydraulic fracturing technology on the coal roof and pillar, which can ensure the safety and efficient mining of working faces.