Fracture distribution in overburden strata induced by underground mining

Abstract Coal‐mining activities give rise to a series of ecological environmental problems, such as ground settlement and groundwater pollution. In fact, they are mainly caused by mining‐induced fractures. Hence, it is necessary to study the mining‐induced fracture distribution to identify the behavior of rock mass movement. However, the fractures in overburden strata cannot be directly measured owing to the special condition. Therefore, the majority of previous studies are based on experiments or experience. For this reason, this study first used a discrete element method to simulate the shape of mining‐induced fractures in overburden strata. Then, a geophysical tool of transient electromagnetic method (TEM) was used to investigate the mining‐induced fracture distribution. Based on the low‐resistivity anomaly area, the water‐rich area in overburden strata was analyzed to be mainly caused by fracture seepage. Through the mutual authentication between numerical simulation and TEM results, the mining‐induced fractures in overburden strata were explored. This study can enhance the understanding of mining‐induced fracture distribution on the one hand and guarantee the coal mining safety on the other, thus guiding the coordinated development between coal mining and environmental protection.