The development of cracks in mining is the scientific basis for the safety and environmental exploitation of shallow multiple-seam. According to the “thickness of coal seam, interactive distance, and buried depth,” four mining coal mines are selected in Shen Fu-Dong Sheng coalfield (SFDSC). To research the mining conditions of shallow coal seam under different base-load ratio mining conditions and different working faces by the physics simulation and in-sit measurement, the key roof caves are sketched by different colors. This study shows that the typical shallow coal seams in the thin overlying bedrock and thick loose sand layer (LSL) as well as the development of the setup entry cracks (SEC) is dominated by LSL arch damage. The surface cracks are almost directly above the setup entry. The flat seam mining and the SEC development is dominated by parabolic type. The surface cracks are located inside the setup entry. With the mining height increased typically in a shallow coal seam, the rate of crack development and the extent of damaged area increased significantly. The SEC and boundary cracks are fixed. The dynamic periodic cracks (DPC) show the ability of the strata to self-repair. During the multiple-seam mining, the above three kinds of cracks have the phenomenon of activation and development. Through the reasonable coal pillar distance arrangement, the development of boundary cracks can be effectively controlled and the relatively uniform surface settlement and crack closure can be achieved. The purpose of reducing damage mining can also be achieved. Furthermore, it provides scientific support for the green mining in the shallow coal seam.

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The overburden movement of the large mining height working face of shallow buried thin bedrock (SBTB) is a complex engineering problem with “time-space-intension”, which is of great significance to realize efficient and safe mining in the northern Shaanxi mining area. Based on the research object of No. 22201 working face in Zhangjiamao Coal Mine, the roof structure characteristics of large mining height working face in SBTB are researched by field drilling measurement, laboratory test, physical and numerical simulation. The results show that: (1) Based on the measured data of the drillholes, it is concluded that under the mining conditions of SBTB with large mining height, the roof movement is ahead of the weighting of the working face, and the working resistance has a significant time effect. The advanced movement distance is about 20 m, which can be used as an early warning index of the weighting. The lag movement distance in the roof with horizon of 30 m is two periodic weighting intervals, which are about 26 m. (2) The first weighting interval of the working face is 32 m. The roof first break has obvious step sinking phenomenon, and the measured surface appears at a position 45 m away from the transport slot. It is statistically concluded that the periodic weighting interval is 9.5~16.5 m, the average weighting interval is 13 m, which is equivalent to the periodic dynamic crack spacing of the surface. (3) The results of field measurement and physical simulation show that the breaking angle of the roof of the No. 22201 large mining height is about 66°, and the periodic stepping distance of the T-junction suspension area is 6~8m. Along the strike of the working face, the roof breaking is mainly arc arched. The research results ensure the safe and green mining of shallow coal seam.

The large mining height (LMH) in shallow coal seam has been widely applied in the Shenfu coalfield, China. The dynamic load is obvious, and the rib spalling is serious when the LMH working face concerns roof weighting. The advanced breaking position of the roof affects the strength of the ground pressure when the roof is broken. Firstly, based on a large number of actual measurements and physical simulation experiments, the rock formation in the fall zone, where the articulated structure cannot be articulated between the coal seam and the main roof, is called the equivalent immediate roof (EIR). When the mining height increases, the thickness of the EIR increases non-linearly. Next, based on the theory of “elastic foundation beam”, a mechanical model for the advanced breaking of the roof is established in shallow coal seam, and the calculation equation for the advanced breaking position of the roof is given; then, designed and carry out boreholes of the no. 22201 working face in the Zhangjiamao Coal Mine. The theoretical calculation of key strata results (5.6–6.9 m) are in the range of field measurement results (5–8 m). According to the field measurement results, the roof movement of the LMH working face is ahead of the roof weighting. Finally, we define the thickness of EIR and the mining height ratio as the immediate mining ratio ki, which affects the degree of filling of the goaf and determines the structural form of the main roof. When the ki is small, the goaf is fully filled; when the ki is large, the goaf is fully filled. Under the same conditions, different filling rate conditions will form different roof structures. Results of this research can be helpful to control roof weighting and provide early warning of possible safety problems related to the LMH working face in shallow coal seam.