The Impact Evaluation of Coal Seam Mining on Fault Based on Similar Material Simulation Method

Fault is a kind of special geological structure which affects the safety of coal mining. Especially in the process of coal mining, because the mining disturbance breaks the balance of crustal stress, the caving zone and water flowing fracture zone formed interact with the faults in the same area, resulting in fault activation and water flowing fracture zone anomaly. General geological exploration method is difficult to predict the changing process of the fault. The stratum structure of Hegang mining area is complex and the dip Angle of coal seam varies greatly. The mining method of multi-layer thick coal seam is often adopted. In order to accurately distinguish the influence of coal mining on faults, further evaluate the risk degree of water damage. This paper simulates coal seam mining by establishing engineering geological model and adopting similar material simulation test method, and analyzes variation of in-situ stress and development of plastic failure zone. It is concluded that under the condition that both coal 9# and coal 17# are mined, the superposed abnormal water-conducting fracture zone will destroy the natural balance of the two sides of the fault, leading to the water-conducting fault and threatening the safe production of the coal mine.