Numerical simulation of protection range in exploiting the upper protective layer with a bow pseudo-incline technique

The developing processes of stress and deformation fields of a protected layer after mining an upper-protective layer with a bow pseudo-incline technique were simulated to locate the protection region. The pressure relief of the protected layer was analyzed after mining the upper-protective layer. The pressure relief angle along the strike and incline were located according to the rules of protection of the deformation and stress pressure-relief of the protective layer after mining. This results show that the upper-protective layer with the bow pseudo-incline technique have an upper and downside pressure relief angle of 85 and 68 degrees respectively; the distribution of strike pressure relief angles along the pseudo-incline working face is uneven and their values range from 38.3 to 51 degrees. The pressure relief angle of the inclined middle location was the largest. The distribution of the protection region of the upper-protective layer with the bow pseudo-incline technique located by practical tests and numerical simulation is essentially consistent, compared with the results obtained by these methods.