Authors: V.V. Sementsov, D.V. Osminin, V.A. Gogolin, I.A. Ermakova

Title of the article: Forecasting soil heaving in mine workings based on numerical modeling to improve the safety of mining operations in coal mines

Year: 2026, Issue: 1, Pages: 138-145

Branch of knowledge: 2.8.6. Geomechanics, destruction of rocks by explosion, mine aerogasdynamics and mining thermophysics

Index UDK: 622.831.322

DOI: 10.26730/1999-4125-2026-1-138-145

Abstract: The paper presents the results of a comprehensive study on rock pressure manifestations in the gate road of longwall panel 48-8 at the Erunakovskaya–VIII mine, located at a depth of 600–650 m. Particular emphasis is placed on sole heave, a phenomenon that significantly impacts the safety and efficiency of longwall mining operations. It has been established that sole heave is caused not only by the stress–strain state of the rock mass under abutment pressure from the advancing longwall face but also by the rheological properties of the immediate sole strata—specifically, their tendency toward creep.Deformations were predicted using finite element numerical modeling implemented in the licensed software package “ELCUT”, which accounts for complex geomechanical and mining conditions. Based on the numerical experiments, the extent of the longwall face’s influence zone on the gate road’s deformation behavior was determined. The variation in roof-to-sole convergence along the gate road—starting from its intersection with the longwall face—was analyzed. The total convergence was decomposed into two components: roof displacement and sole displacement (heave). It was found that sole displacement constitutes the predominant contribution to the overall roof-to-sole convergence. The calculation of sole heave accounting for rock creep was performed using the variable rock deformation modulus method. The analysis demonstrates that creep in the immediate sole leads to a significant increase in sole heave along the entire length of the gate road. Field monitoring data confirmed the reliability of the numerical predictions. Based on the obtained results, practical recommendations are proposed to enhance operational safety, including increasing the face advance rate, optimizing support design parameters, and adjusting the cross-sectional dimensions of the roadway.

Key words: finite element method stress-strain state convergence of roof rocks and soil soil heaving

Receiving date: 01.12.2025

Approval date: 15.01.2026

Publication date: 19.03.2026

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