Similar simulation experiment research on the deformation and instability of wind-oxidized and water-rich roadway in a coal mine

This study is aimed to clarify the deformation features and the instability mechanism of the roadway under coupled harmful effects, such as wind oxidation and rich water conditions. The evaluation indicator system of wind oxidation of surrounding rocks was established based on engineering measurement and indoor rock mechanics tests. A similar simulation experiment was performed to determine the similar material ratios of the roadway surrounding rocks with varying degrees of wind oxidation. After that, water hydraulics technology with precise control of water pressure through air pressure was used to develop a similar simulation experimental platform for the deformation and failure of the water-rich roadway. The deformation features and macroscopic and microscopic failure of the roadway were analyzed under different levels of wind oxidation and rich water conditions. We obtained the deformation evolution process and the macroscopic failure features of the wind-oxidized roof with progressive stabilization and the wind-oxidized roof with sudden instability and disaster-inducing failure through a similar simulation experiment. Our findings provide the theoretical and experimental bases for roadway stability studies under wind oxidation and rich water conditions.