Reasonable Coal Pillar Width and Surrounding Rock Control of Gob-Side Entry Driving in Inclined Short-Distance Coal Seams

During gob-side entry driving under complex conditions in inclined short-distance coal seams, the roadway loses stability and deforms seriously, which affects the safety and efficiency of mine production. In this study, a reasonable coal pillar width was explored by means of on-site investigation, theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and engineering tests. The following research results were obtained: (1) In selecting a reasonable coal pillar width, the influences of the position of residual coal pillars, stratum spacing, main roof breakage, roadway section in the upper coal seam should be considered. From established mechanical models of inclined gob-side roadways, the maximum floor failure depth is 27 m and the concentrated influence range of the #1 coal pillars is 11 m. (2) The stress states of coal pillars with different widths were analyzed by numerical simulation. As the coal pillar width increases, the peak value of the stress increases first and then decreases. Based on the site geological conditions, the optimum coal pillar width was determined to be 8 m, which is consistent with the theoretical calculation results. (3) A new pressure-yield support technology was proposed, and its on-site application confirmed its notable roadway control effect. Our research can provide theoretical support for the control of roadways surrounding rock under similar engineering background conditions.