Prediction of the Height of the Water-Conducting Zone Above the Mined Panel in Solid Backfill Mining

Numerous water inrush disasters have been associated with Chinese coal mines over the past 30 years. Accordingly, solid backfill mining (SBM) has been widely adopted to extract coal resources from beneath aquifers to reduce the magnitude and scope of overburden failure. Therefore, accurate determination of the height of the water-conducting zone associated with SBM is particularly important. The primary factors influencing development of water-conducting zones within solid backfill mines have been quantified in the current study, based on overburden movement and deformation characteristics. Numerical simulation has been used to evaluate the height of water conducting zones with respect to mine heights and backfill ratios. The results have been analyzed via multiple regression, leading to the development of a predictive equation. Field trials undertaken as part of the current study indicate a high level of accuracy with the developed equation.