Zonal failure mechanisms and monitoring–control methods of surrounding rock in gradient offset roadways

Yang Li; Yuliang Wang; Nan Wang; Gustavo André Paneiro; Yuqi Ren; Yutong Cui; Xiaoming Shi; Tiezhen Li

doi:10.1016/j.ijmst.2026.03.012

Int J Min Sci Technol ›› 2026, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (7) :1409 -1432. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmst.2026.03.012

Research article

research-article

Zonal failure mechanisms and monitoring–control methods of surrounding rock in gradient offset roadways

Yang Li ^a^,^b^,^c^,^d^,^e^,^f
, Yuliang Wang ^a^,^*
, Nan Wang ^a^,^g^,^*
, Gustavo André Paneiro ^h
, Yuqi Ren ^h
, Yutong Cui ^a
, Xiaoming Shi ^a
, Tiezhen Li ^a

Author information +

^a School of Energy and Mining Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology—Beijing, Beijing 100083, China

^b Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Coal Resources Green Mining (Xinjiang Institute of Engineering), Ministry of Education, Urumqi 830023, China

^c Inner Mongolia Research Institute, China University of Mining and Technology—Beijing, Ordos 017000, China

^d Key Laboratory of Coal Resources and Safe Mining, China University of Mining and Technology—Beijing, Beijing 100083, China

^e Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Coal—bearing Resources Exploration and Exploitation, Xinjiang Institute of Engineering, Urumqi 830023, China

^f Xinjiang Engineering Research Center of Green Intelligent Coal Mining, Xinjiang Institute of Engineering, Urumqi 830023, China

^g DER/CERENA, Técnico Lisboa, University of Lisbon, Lisbon 1049—001, Portugal

^h School of Coal Engineering, Shanxi Datong University, Datong 037000, China

^*E-mail addresses:cumtb_wangyl@163.com (Y. Wang),

wangnancumtb@163.com (N. Wang).

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Abstract

Under close-distance coal seam (CDCS) mining conditions, surrounding rock failure in gradient offset roadways exhibits pronounced zonal heterogeneity and complex evolutionary behavior. However, existing studies lack a systematic understanding of zonal failure mechanisms and effective full-length, quantitative identification methods, which limits the precise matching between support strategies and surrounding rock failure characteristics. To address this issue, a mechanical model for principal stress distribution in the goaf floor is established, clarifying the spatial variation of principal stresses under different offset distances and providing explicit boundary conditions for plastic zone analysis. Considering the implicit nature of the plastic zone boundary equation and the difficulty of analytical integration, a quantitative calculation framework combining polar coordinate discretization and numerical integration is proposed to determine the plastic zone area and maximum failure depth. Based on this framework, the coupled control mechanism of the principal stress ratio (g) and the orientation of the maximum principal stress (a) on zonal failure evolution is quantitatively revealed. The results indicate that continuous variations in offset distance induce the coupled evolution of g and a, which govern the expansion scale, failure depth, and deflection characteristics of the plastic zone. Furthermore, a geophysical-borehole joint inversion method (GBJIM) is proposed for refined identification of surrounding rock failure zones. The method achieves relative inversion errors of 0.59%–3.37%, satisfying engineering accuracy requirements, and enables continuous, full-length characterization of roadway surrounding rock failure. The inversion results reveal significant spatial variability in failure depth, which undergoes a rapid decrease, followed by an increase, a gradual reduction, and eventual stabilization with varying offset distance, and show good agreement with numerical simulation results. Based on the obtained precise zoning results, a zonal support optimization strategy for the full-length roadway is developed and validated through field application.

Keywords

Close-distance coal seams / Roadway surrounding rock / Principal stress / Failure mechanism / Geophysical–drilling / Zonal control

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Yang Li, Yuliang Wang, Nan Wang, Gustavo André Paneiro, Yuqi Ren, Yutong Cui, Xiaoming Shi, Tiezhen Li. Zonal failure mechanisms and monitoring–control methods of surrounding rock in gradient offset roadways. Int J Min Sci Technol, 2026, 36 (7) : 1409-1432 DOI:10.1016/j.ijmst.2026.03.012

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