Research on the Numerical Simulation of Overlying Strata Movement Law in Top Coal Caving Working Face Mining Through Syncline Structural Zone

Abstract

As deep coal mining advances, mine disasters induced by complex geological conditions, such as syncline structural zones, are becoming increasingly severe. Taking the 9401 working face of a certain mine as the engineering background, this study utilizes FLAC3D three-dimensional numerical simulation software to investigate the evolution laws of overlying strata stress and displacement during the dynamic process of a top coal caving working face mining through a syncline structure (downward dipping-syncline axis-upward dipping). The results demonstrate that during the entire process of mining through the syncline, the syncline axis area acts as the core hazard zone, exhibiting the most intense stress concentration, floor deformation, and plastic failure. Notably, the maximum floor heave near the geometric center of the syncline reaches an extreme value of 1023 mm for the entire process. This study reveals the significant controlling effect of the syncline structure on strata behavior, providing an important theoretical basis for surrounding rock control and disaster prevention under similar complex geological conditions.