*Article* **Destabilization Mechanism and Stability Control of the Surrounding Rock in Stope Mining Roadways below Remaining Coal Pillars: A Case Study in Buertai Coal Mine**

**Qiang Fu 1,2,3,4, Ke Yang 2,3,4,\*, Xiang He 1,2,3,4, Qinjie Liu 1,2,3,4, Zhen Wei 1,2,3,4 and Yu Wang 1,2,3,4**

	- <sup>4</sup> State Key Laboratory of Mining Response and Disaster Prevention and Control in Deep Coal Mines, Anhui, Huainan 232001, China

**Abstract:** To study the stability control of stope mining roadways below remaining coal pillars, the present study investigates the destabilization mechanism of coal pillars and roadways in sections under the dual action of supporting pressure on the floor of the remaining coal pillar in the overlying coal seam and the mining at the working face of the lower coal seam and clarify the principle of surrounding rock stability control based on theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and industrial testing. The results yielded the following findings. After the stope mining of the overlying coal seam working face, the stress transfer of the T-shaped remaining coal pillar significantly increased the vertical stress of the lower coal seam. The lateral support pressure generated by the stope mining at the lower coal seam working face further aggravated the stress concentration in the coal, leading to severe compression-shear failure of the surrounding rock. As the sectional coal pillar becomes wider, the roadway gradually avoids the area of peak superimposed support pressure. The vertical stress curve of the sectional coal pillar shifts from single-peaked to asymmetrically double-peaked, and the stress difference between the two roadway ribs and the stress concentration coefficients decrease continuously. A stability control method of long anchor cable reinforcement support is proposed. In-situ industrial testing showed that the surrounding rock deformation was basically stable during the service period of the 42202 stope mining roadway, thus achieving the stability control of the stope mining roadway.

**Keywords:** remaining coal pillar; stope mining roadway; stress transfer; support optimization; surrounding rock control
