Dongyue Zhang

In the gob-side entry retaining by roof cutting (GERRC) technique, pressure is offloaded via directional roof cutting, and a roadway is automatically formed due to the ground pressure and rock-breaking expansion. To improve the application of the theory and technical system of GERRC in the Karst area in Southwest China, this research studies the key technology of GERRC in a high gas outburst coal seam, based on the engineering background of the 39114 working face of the Honglin coal mine. According to the geological conditions of the 39114 working face, by means of formula calculation, UDEC numerical modeling, and on-site drilling peeping, the optimal roof-cutting parameters suitable for the 39114 working face were determined: the roof cutting height was 7 m, the roof cutting angle was 15°, and the spacing of pre-splitting blasting holes was 600 mm. Additionally, the above roof-cutting parameters have achieved good results in the engineering practices of the 39114 transportation roadway, which shows that the technology of GERRC is feasible in high gas outburst mines and achieves the goal of safe and efficient mining.

In order to explore the deformation and failure law of deep surrounding rock roadway disturbed by strong dynamic pressure, the triaxial mechanical properties of mudstone samples under pre-cracking damage conditions were tested to study the deformation and failure characteristics and energy evolution mechanism in the damage process, under different loading rates and confining pressures. In the mechanical experiment, the specimen is pre-cracked to simulate the damage and failure of surrounding rock during roadway excavation, and the damage degree model of rock specimen is established. The results show that the loading rate and confining pressure have significant effects on the peak strength and energy characteristics of mudstone at the average damage degree of 0.12, and the peak strength increases with the increase in confining pressure and loading rate. Under the same confining pressure, the energy increases first, and then decreases with the increase in loading rate, and the loading rate at the turning point is called the critical loading rate. Under the same confining pressure, the closed stress of mudstone gradually increases with the increase in loading rate, and the closed stress and loading rate show a good linear relationship. Through the fitting relationship, it is found that the fitting correlation coefficient between the closed stress of mudstone and the loading rate is as high as 0.99. The elastic strain energy ratio presents a composite function of exponential function with natural constant e, which is a nonlinear process.

To provide the most effective comprehensive performance grouting material ratio, in this experimental investigation, a total of eight grouted specimens with two water-cement ratios (0.45:1, 0.55:1) and four different superfine cement contents (0%, 30%, 70%, 100%) were evaluated. Based on a uniaxial compression test, the fractal dimension of the fragments, a mercury injection test, and scanning electron microscopy, the effects of the superfine cement content on the strength characteristics and microscopic characteristics of the grouted specimens were studied. The results showed that increasing the superfine cement content could enhance the compressive and tensile strength of the grouted specimens and reduce the fractal dimension of the fragments and the porosity of the grouted specimens. The superfine cement content increased from 0% to 70% when the water-cement ratio was 0.45:1. The compressive strength of the grouted specimens increased from 16.7 MPa to 26.3 MPa, and the fractal dimension decreased from 1.8645 to 1.2301. When the water-cement ratio was 0.55:1, the compressive strength of the grouted specimens increased from 10.5 MPa to 20.6 MPa, and the fractal dimension value decreased from 2.2955 to 1.4458. When the superfine cement content increased from 0% to 100%, the water-cement ratio was 0.45:1. The porosity of the grouted specimens was reduced from 28.41% to 21.62%. When the water-cement ratio was 0.55:1, the porosity of the grouted specimens was reduced from 33.33% to 29.46%.