Mechanism and prevention of coal bursts in gob-side roadway floor under thick and hard roof in the deep mining area of Ordos

The complex stress environment in deep roadways, often exacerbated by thick and hard strata, frequently precipitates coal bursts, posing significant safety hazards. This paper investigates the mechanisms and preventive methods for coal bursts in the gob-side roadway floor (GSRF) under thick and hard roof in the Ordos region, China. First, the stress-distributing characters of GSRF were analyzed then a stress calculation formula was derived. A mechanical model was developed to determine the critical stress for buckling failure of the roadway floor strata. Criteria for the bursting instability of GSRF were then established. The lateral static load from the adjacent gob, the advancing static load from the working face, and the disturbance load from overlying thick and hard roof fractures combine to transmit high loads and energy to the roadway floor via the "roof -> rib -> floor" pathway, causing increased stress concentration and energy accumulation. When the conditions satisfy the criteria for bursting instability, coal bursts can occur on the roadway floor. To mitigate dynamic load disturbances, the paper proposes roof regional fracturing and abrasive water jet axial roof cutting. Hydraulic reaming of gutters in the roadway ribs and deep hole blasting at the roadway bottom corners are offered to alleviate the static loads on the surrounding rock. The implementation of targeted prevention measures for dynamic and static loads effectively reduces coal bursts in GSRF. These findings offer an example of preventing and controlling coal bursts in other mines of the Ordos region with comparable geological conditions.