Abstract:

Top coal fall ahead of face support in mechanised longwall occurs from time to time that severely impacts the safety and productivity at face. This paper presents a new technique for studying this geotechnical problem by using a Discrete Element Method (DEM) code combined with plastic rock material. A field - scale Longwall Top Coal Caving (LTCC) extraction, mining cycle and support operation are incorporated in an LTCC model using the geological conditions from Seam 11, Ha Lam coal mine, Vietnam. The model is calibrated against the face advance where top coal starts caving observed at the site. During the simulation, the model has successfully represented the failure mechanisms and falling mode of top coal ahead of face support. The modelling technique is helpful to in - depth investigation of top coal or roof fall mechanisms ahead of face support in various geotechnical conditions.