Identification methods for anomalous stress region in coal roadways based on microseismic information and numerical simulation

It is believed that the microseismicity induced by mining effect and gas gradient disturbance stress is a precursor to the essential characteristics of roadway unstability. In order to effectively identify and evaluate the stability of coal roadways in the process of mine development and extraction, a microseismic monitoring system was deployed for the study of the stress evolution process, damage degree and distribution characteristics in the tailgate and headgate. The mine under study is the 62113 outburst working face of Xin Zhuangzi coalmine in Huainan mining area. The whole process of microfractures initiation, extension, interaction and coalescence mechanisms during the progressive failure processes of the coal rock within the delineated and typical event clusters were investigated by means of a two dimensional realistic failure process analysis code (RFPA2D-Flow). The results show that the microseismic events gradually create different-sized event clusters. The microseismicity of the tailgate is significantly higher than that of the headgate. The study indicates that the greater anomalous stress region matches the area where microfractures continuously develop and finally connect to each other and form a fissure zone. Due to the mine layout and stress concentration, the ruptured area is mainly located on the left shoulder of the tailgate roof. The potential anomalous stress region of the coal roadway obtained by numerical simulation is relatively in good agreement with the trend of spatial macro evolution of coal rock microfractures captured by the microseismic monitoring system. The research results can provide important basis for understanding instability failure mechanism of deep roadway and microseismic activity law in complex geologic conditions, and it ultimately can be used to guide the selection and optimization of reinforcement and protection scheme.