| Summary: | Horizontal sublevel caving is the unique way to mine the steep and extra thick coal seams. We aim to determine reasonable height of horizontal subsection, which is crucial to ensure the output and safety of mining. For this aim, a theoretical model is established to determine the theoretical solution of elastic stress distribution in deeply inclined coal seam, and first principal stress expression is derived. And on this basis, related factors affecting the top coal caving property and key delayed-action areas are investigated. The results show that there are four zones in top coal, which are tensile failure zone (TFZ), tensile damage zone (TDZ), elastic zone (EZ), and compression-shear damage zone (CSDZ). The elevation of sublevel height cannot increase the release of top coal. It is necessary to determine the key region of affecting the top coal caving. The key delayed-action region (KDAR) consists of EZ and TFZ in top coal; the EZ and TFZ are type I and II KDAR, respectively, and type I is the key area of weakening top coal. In order to effectively weaken KDAR, opening coal channel of core region, and especially effectively obstructing the continuous moving upward of top coal caving arch structure with the help of weakening top coal body in type I KDAR, would promote caving property of top coal and improve the working face extraction rate.
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