Research on the Influence of Slurry Filling on the Stability of Floor Coal Pillars during Mining above the Room-and-Pillar Goaf: A Case Study

Room-and-pillar mining is a commonly used mining method in previous practice in northwest China mining area. Due to priority selection of high-quality resources, coal mines in northwest China generally have to face upward mining above goaf. Thus, the stability of a floor coal pillar influenced by mining activities plays an essential role in upward mining above goaf. The results indicated that a floor coal pillar kept stable before coal excavation in the no. 6107 working face in the Yuanbaowan coal mine; however, the plastic zone in the floor coal pillar expanded sharply and the elastic core zone reduced suddenly on the influence of abutment pressure. Finally, the floor coal pillar supported failure. Accordingly, the paper proposed a floor coal pillar reinforcing technique through a grout injection filling goaf area. As physically limited by a different-height filling body on the double sides, the plastic zone scope and horizontal displacement and loading capacity of the floor coal pillar were studied, working out that the critical height of the filling body should be about 6 m which can ensure safe mining when upward mining above goaf. Case practice indicated that the fractures induced by mining in the floor coal pillar, filling body, and floor can be restrained effectively when the filling body height is 6 m, which can ensure floor coal pillar stability and safe mining of the no. 6107 working face in the Yuanbaowan coal mine. The research can provide theoretical and technical guidance for upward mining above goaf and have a critical engineering practice value.