Preliminary Design and On-Site Testing Methodology of Roof-Cutting for Entry Retaining in Underground Coal Mine

Entry retaining via roof cutting is a new longwall mining method that has emerged in recent years, and is characterized by high resource utilization and environmental friendliness. Due to the complexity of this method, a field study is commonly employed for process optimization. Roof blasting is a key operation for retaining the entry, and the current practice involves dynamically adjusting blasting parameters through on-site testing and postblasting monitoring. However, the existing literature lacks detailed descriptions of blasting operations, making it difficult for field engineers to replicate the results. In this study, based on a roof cutting project for entry retaining, a preliminary design of blasting parameters is made based on theories and on-site geological conditions. The on-site test methods and equipment for roof-cutting blasting are described in detail, and the fractural patterns under different blasting parameters are analyzed. After the retreat of the working face, the state of roof caving in the goaf is analyzed based on monitoring data, and the effectiveness of top cutting is evaluated through reverse analysis, leading to dynamic adjustments of the blasting parameters. This research provides a reproducible construction method for roof-cutting operations and establishes the relationship between blasting parameters and post-mining monitoring data. It contributes to the development of fundamental theories and systematic technical systems for entry retaining via roof cutting, offering high-quality case studies for similar geological engineering projects.