New supporting method for shallow-buried cavern based on mining method and its engineering application

In order to meet the requirements of maintaining the original condition of rock face of underground cavern, avoiding heavy excavation to protect ground environment, and reducing support cost of large-span shallow buried cavern, a new supporting method for shallow-buried cavern based on the mining method is presented. It is a built-in method that some crisscross small tunnel sheds are embedded in the overburden layer. So the supporting system of interaction between the surrounding rock and supporting structure is formed. The surrounding rock can display its self load-bearing capacity in the shallow-buried cavern according to this method. And the self load-bearing capacity is controllable in some degree. The method is applied in a large-span shallow-buried cavern, which locates in a tourism spot. The monitoring data reveal that the method is feasible and the proportion of rock self load-bearing reaches forty-seven percent.