Rupture and seepage law of roof-floor strata caused by coal mining between double-bearing aquifers

Abstract：Based on coal mining between double-bearing aquifers in Shanxi Province, and focused on the stress-fluid coupling mechanism of coal and rocks, the study employed physical simulation experiment and discrete element numer- ical simulation to reveal the rupture regularity of stratum and the seepage with respect to different mining advances. The developing modes of water conductive zones in ruptured roof strata were put forward and the correspondent rela- tionship between the formation of ＇ four zones＇ in the floor strata and the mining process were established. The study shows that the mining area floor only appears broken zone during primary mining. When a full mining arrives, new damaged zone and mining induced water conductive-rising zone begin to develop. The new der the working face. At back of the mining face, the new damaged zone is mainly un- damaged zone is progressively closed because of the compac- tion of gob. The stress-seepage coupling effect in mining disturbed rock mass can be summarized as follows：the mining leads to rupture of roof and floor strata and a stress drop. The water permeability in rock mass increases, resulting in the aquifer in Taihui strata rush-in the goaf and mining face. The water conductive fracture zone develops and water conducting arises in the water proof layer in the floor strata under the water wedge splitting action. When the residual water pressure can not continuously split the water proof layer in the floor strata against the tensile strength of the rock mass, a stress-seepage stable state is recovered in the floor strata.