Novel Application of the Roof-Cutting-Type Gob-Side Entry Retaining in Coal Mine

In this study, the roof-cutting-type gob-side entry retaining is introduced, and its application in medium-thickness coal seams is studied. Based on the analysis of the construction procedure and principle, the mechanical model of the retained roadway structure and cantilever beam formed by roof cutting was established, and the support resistance and roof deformation were obtained. In addition, through technological design analysis and numerical simulation, the parameters of roof cutting were determined. The roof-cutting height and angle were designed to be 9 m and 15°, respectively. Flac3 D was used to analyze the stress evolution law under different mining conditions. The stress on the integrated coal side and roof subsidence was lower when the roof-cutting height was 8∼10 m and the cutting angle was 15°. Through field monitoring, the roof pressure, gob-side lateral gangue retaining pressure, anchor cable stress, and deformation of the surrounding rock eventually reached a stable state. This indicates that the roof cutting can effectively cut down the overlying strata over the gob and form a stable entry structure to meet the requirements of the next working face.