Rockburst occurrences and microseismicity in a longwall panel experiencing frequent rockbursts

A rockburst is a kind of dynamic geological hazard faced by engineers and researchers. Identification of a potential rockburst risk area (PRBRA) allows effective, targeted measures to be taken mitigate these hazards. To provide a reference for determining PRBRA in longwall panels with similar conditions, an in situ investigation that lasted for over three years was conducted on LW3401 in the Junde coal mine which experienced a total of 22 rockbursts. The investigation involves rockburst consequences (including the location, length, degree, and modes of the ensuing damage), seismic features of rockburst (including the source and seismic energy), and the relationship between rockbursts and microseismicity. Results show that damaged areas are mostly within the 18 m behind the excavation face, or up to 30 m ahead of the coalface. Lengths of damaged sections of roadways are within 95 m (and 115 m) during roadway excavation (and coalface advancing operations). The seismic energy of rockbursts ranges from 1.60 × 10 4 to 8.21 × 10 6 J. Sources of rockbursts lie mostly within 145 m of damage locations. Before a rockburst, sources of microseismic (MS) events begin to cluster around the roadway or coalface. Daily total energy and MS event counts rose, then fell, before a rockburst occurred. PRBRAs in a roadway lie within a certain distance behind the excavation face, or ahead of the coalface. When high-energy MS events are found in close proximity to a PRBRA, the rockburst risk in a given panel increases.