Evaluation on water bursting risk of working faces near collapse column during the mining process

Collapse column water bursting occurs from time to time in the coal mining process of North China Type Coalfield in China, which causes great economic loss and personal injury. Therefore, great attention must be paid to the harm of collapse column. 1301 working face and 1306 working face in the west wing of No.1 Mining District of Zhangji Coal Mine in Shanxian County are close to No.2 collapse column. Water bursting risk evaluation must be carried out before mining two working faces to ensure safety production. On the basis of fully analyzing the geological and hydrogeological conditions of the 3up coal seam in the west wing of No.1 Mining Area, the "Three Zones(caving zone, water conducted fracture zone and sagging zone) Theory of Coal Seam Roof", "Strata Movement Theory" and "Water Bursting Coefficient Theory" were used respectively to calculate and evaluate the water bursting risk of No.2 collapse column during the course of mining the 1301 working face and 1306 working face. The results show that: firstly, in the process of mining the 1301 working face, the maximum height of the water conducted fracture zone at the closest position of 1301 working face to No.2 collapse column would be 60.20 m, the water bursting coefficient on the boundary of water conducted fracture zone would be 0.066~0.072 MPa/m, and the water bursting risk of the No.2 collapse column would be smaller; secondly, in the process of mining the 1306 working face, the maximum height of the water conducted fracture zone at the closest position of 1306 working face to No.2 collapse column would be 60.91 m, the water bursting coefficient on the boundary of water conducted fracture zone would be 0.057~0.089 MPa/m, and the water burst risk of the No.2 collapse column would be small. By August 31, 2020, the 1301 working face had been safely mined more than 200 meters long(exceeding over 120 m of the closest position in 1301 working face to No.2 collapse column), and the water bursting did not happen in the working face. This paper can provide a reference for the water prevention and control of similar collapse columns in coal mines.