title: Predicting the distribution of ground fissures and water-conducted fissures induced by coal mining: a case study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of Top Coal Caving for exploiting the thick coal seam with shallow buried depth most likely has a strong negative impact on the stability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anjialing No. 1 Underground Mine is located in Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province of China. The 4# Coal Seam of this coal mine is the thick coal seam with shallow buried depth, which has the thickness of 12 m and the depth of 180 m in average. This paper focuses on predicting the distribution of ground fissures and water-conducted fissures induced by the exploiting of the 4# Coal Seam.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We first create a 3D computational model, and then use FLAC[Formula: see text] software to simulate the mining of coal seam. We then calculate the displacements and tensile strain of the ground surface and strata, and predict the distribution of the ground fissures and water-conducted fissures. Finally, we further analyze the possibility of the perviousness and air leakage of the coal mine on the basis of the predicted distribution of fissures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prediction results indicate that: (1) the water-conducted fissures are strongly developed and go through the Neogene aquifuge in some region; thus, it may lead to potential perviousness of coal mine; (2) part of these water-conducted fissures connect with the ground fissures; and this behavior may cause the risk of air leakage.
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences, No. 29 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100083 China.
authors.forename: Kunyang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences, No. 29 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100083 China.
authors.forename: Nengxiong
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2576-1546
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences, No. 29 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100083 China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering, China University of Geosciences, No. 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan, 430074 China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tian
keywords: Ground fissures; Mining subsidence; Numerical simulation; Tensile deformation; Water-conducted fissures