A dynamic method to determine the supports capacity in longwall coal mining

Abstract

The determination of the correct design support capacity of shield supports is the key to the safe control of strata within the vicinity of longwall coal panels. There are a number of design methods that have been developed, dependant on the prevalent geological and mining conditions. However, these methods have been found to be inappropriate to the design of the supports for longwall panels practising either high seam height extractions or the top-coal caving methods practised within many Chinese underground thick seam mines. To address these conditions, a dynamic simulation method is proposed to determine the shield support capacity required for these conditions. Based upon the geological conditions experienced on the first caving event of the main roof, the shield support capacity for the four case study mine coal panels is determined and compared against the performance of the installed support capacities. It is concluded that the predicted support capacities compare well with the performance of the supports installed within the case study mines.