A review of investigations on ground support requirements in coal burst-prone mines

Ground support is widely implemented to mitigate dynamic rock failures in underground mines. This paper investigated the ground support requirements in burst-prone mines to mitigate the catastrophic dynamic rock failures of rock and/or coal bursts. First, the ground support principles and considerations in burst-prone conditions are identified. The objective of a ground support system is to increase the capacity to accommodate rock fracturing in a rockburst and, in turn, to minimize the kinetic energy of the ejected material. The support capacities of various yielding rockbolts and integrated support systems are then investigated using the test results in the laboratory. Apart from the energy absorption and yielding deformation capacity, the initial stiffness and energy absorption rate are also critical factors when applying yielding rockbolts in practice. Adding rope lacing and mesh strap to surface support elements can substantially enhance the support performance of the system. In practice, semi-analytical and empirical approaches are often used to determine the ground support elements in burst-prone areas. Semi-analytical methods first evaluate the support demand in burst risk zones and then select support elements according to their laboratory test results. Alternatively, empirical methods determine the ground support elements according to the locally established empirical rating scheme, which usually ranks the support capacities of various support systems based on ground support conditions and damage conditions. The outcomes of this study can provide insights into ground support strategies and assist the mining industry to develop effective coal burst control technologies.