We used the key stratum theory to establish a more realistic thin-plate mechanical model of elastic foundation clamped boundary and study the fracture mechanism of overlying strata during longwall mining. We analyzed the fracture characteristics and factors affecting fracture of the key stratum combined with the Mohr–Coulomb yield criterion. Besides, we used numerical simulation methods to verify the evolution pattern of the overlying strata fracture. The results show that the fracture mechanisms of the elastic foundation clamped structure’s key stratum varied depending on the position under longwall mining. The advanced coal wall area of the upper surface is a compressive-shear fracture. The center area of the lower surface is a tensile fracture. With the increase of the excavation length and the load of the key stratum, the central area and the advanced coal wall area of the long side are fractured before the advanced coal wall area of the short side. With the increase of flexural rigidity of the key stratum, the advanced coal wall area of the long side fractures before the central area and the advanced coal wall area of the short side. With the increase of the foundation modulus and the advanced load of the key stratum, the central area fractures before the surrounding advanced coal wall area. The advanced influence distance was positively correlated with the key stratum’s flexural rigidity and advanced load and negatively correlated with the foundation modulus and excavation length. The advanced influence distance was not affected by the load of the key stratum. The numerical simulation results show that, with the increase of the mining area, the fracture trace of overlying strata in goaf extended to the coal wall’s interior. The fracture range of overlying strata is larger than that of the miningd: area. This study has a practical value for water disasters, gas outbursts, and rock strata control.

Longwall top coal caving technology is one of the main methods of thick coal seam mining in China, and the classification evaluation of top coal cavability in longwall top coal caving working face is of great significance for improving coal recovery. However, the empirical or numerical simulation method currently used to evaluate the top coal cavability has high cost and low-efficiency problems. Therefore, in order to improve the evaluation efficiency and reduce evaluation the cost of top coal cavability, according to the characteristics of classification evaluation of top coal cavability, this paper improved and optimized the fuzzy neural network developed by Nauck and Kruse and establishes the fuzzy neural network prediction model for classification evaluation of top coal cavability. At the same time, in order to ensure that the optimized and improved fuzzy neural network has the ability of global approximation that a neural network should have, its global approximation is verified. Then use the data in the database of published papers from CNKI as sample data to train, verify and test the established fuzzy neural network model. After that, the tested model is applied to the classification evaluation of the top coal cavability in 61,107 longwall top coal caving working face in Liuwan Coal Mine. The final evaluation result is that the top coal cavability grade of the 61,107 longwall top coal caving working face in Liuwan Coal Mine is grade II, consistent with the engineering practice.

The surface subsidence caused by mining influences the mine environment and construction safety. In this paper, strata movement and surface subsidence were combined. Based on elasticity and Winkler theory, a prediction method of surface subsidence was established with the primary key stratum as the research object. Using the Tingnan Coal Mine as an example, the mining subsidence of the second panel was predicted. Comparing the predicted results with the measured results, the causes of errors were analyzed and the field of application of the model was clarified. Besides, the geological and mining factors affecting surface subsidence were also analyzed. The results show that the mining subsidence is the surface manifestation of the strata movement. Surface subsidence is affected by the mining area, load, and flexural rigidity of the primary key stratum, foundation modulus of the goaf, and the rock mass. The research results have significance for the planning of the coal resources and the prevention of geological disasters.

Floor failure is the leading cause of mine water inrush after coal mining above the confined aquifer. Therefore, the prediction of floor failure depth is an important content of mine water prevention. The mining-induced failure depth and goaf floor characteristics are researched to grasp the goaf failure condition after the inclined coal seam mining with the theoretical analysis method. The inclined coal goaf floor's stress solving mechanics mode is set up based on the fracture mechanics theories. According to the Mohr-Coulomb criterion, the floor failure depth solving the equation is derived. With the theoretical analysis of the floor failure characteristics during the inclined coal seam mining, (1) the maximum failure depth of floor is nonlinear to the coal seam dip and the lateral pressure coefficient; the working face length, mining depth and floor cohesion positively correlate with the failure range; the floor cohesion is reversely proportional to the failure range. (2) There appears asymmetry in the layout of stress and plastic zones in the inclined coal goaf floor. Failure range and depth in-floor plastic zone increasingly enlarge when the coal face advances.