The movements of overburden induced by mining a thick coal seam with a hard roof extend widely. The effects of breakages in the hard strata on the strata behaviors might vary with the overlying strata layers. For this reason, we applied a test method that integrated a borehole TV tester, borehole-based monitoring of strata movement, and monitoring of support resistance for an in situ investigation of a super-thick, 14–20 m coal seam mining in the Datong mining area in China. The results showed that the range of the overburden movement was significantly high, which could reach to more than 300 m. The key strata (KS) in the lower layer main roof were broken into a ‘cantilever beam and voussoir beam’ structure. This structure accounted for the ‘long duration and short duration’ strata behaviors in the working face. On the other hand, the hard KS in the upper layer broke into a ‘high layer structure’. The structural instability induced intensive and wide-ranging strata behaviors that lasted for a long time (two to three days). Support in the working face were over-pressured by large dynamic factors and were widely crushed, while the roadways were violently deformed. Hence, the structure of a thick coal seam with a hard roof after mining will form a ‘cantilever beam and voussoir beam and high layer structure’, which is unique to a large space stope.

In extra-thick coal seams, mining operations can lead to large-scale disturbances, complex overburden structures, and frequent and strong strata behavior in the stope, which are serious threats to mine safety. This study analyzed the overburden structure and strata behavior and proposed the technique of confined blasting in water-filled deep holes as a measure to prevent strong rock pressure. It found that there are two primary reasons for the high effectiveness of the proposed technique in presplitting hard coal and rock. First, the fracture water enables much more efficient transfer of dynamic load due to its incompressibility. Second, the subsequent expansion of water can further split the rock by compression. A mechanical model was used to reveal how the process of confined blasting in water-filled deep holes presplit roof. Moreover, practical implementation of this technique was found to improve the structure of hard, thick roof and prevent strong rock pressure, demonstrating its effectiveness in roof control.