To study the mechanical behavior and energy evolution law of gas-filled deep coal, conventional triaxial compression experiments under different confining pressure and gas pressure conditions and cyclic loading and unloading experiments under different gas pressures were carried out. The failure characteristics and mechanical parameters evolution of two loading modes were analyzed. In addition, the energy density and ratio evolution law under cyclic loading was revealed, and based on these findings, an attempt was made to depict the relation of cumulative dissipated energy density and volumetric strain by fitting the experimental data. The results indicated that failure of coal is expressed as a single shear surface under conventional compression, while under cyclic loading mode, coal behaves with multi-fracture crushing failure. Mechanical parameters showed a trend of decay with increasing gas pressure, and that cyclic loading and unloading increases the bearing capacity of coal by 8–38%. The dissipated energy density and ratio grew significantly when coal entered the yield stage. In the compaction stage, the cumulative dissipated energy density rose with volumetric strain in the form of an exponential function, and it increased with relative volumetric strain as a power function.

The development of stiffness theory is constrained by its contradiction with engineering experience. Several easily overlooked details of stiffness theory were clarified, and a qualitative evaluation formula for the risk of coal burst was provided. Then a novel structure factor called uneven stiffness coal seam structure (USCS), which consists of high stiffness zone (HSZ), low stiffness zone (LSZ), and contiguous roof and floor, was proposed. Many areas prone to coal bursts, such as thinning zones, bifurcating areas, magmatic intrusion areas, and remnant pillar affected areas of coal seam, are the HSZs of USCSs. Comparative analysis of the uneven stiffness coal seam under different roof conditions and examination of the simplified trisection model of the USCS were conducted. Then 6 groups of 14 simplified 2D models using COMSOL5.2 was constructed based on controlled variable method to simulate different responses of the USCS with varying parameters under same working conditions. The results demonstrate the following: (1) coal bursts occur only when both the failure criterion and the stiffness criterion are simultaneously satisfied, the risk of coal burst (r_CB) is the product of the risk of failure (r_F) and the risk of instability (r_I). (2) The pressure concentration function of USCS facilitates stress concentration from LSZ to HSZ, thus raising the r_F in HSZ. The stiffness reduction function of USCS reduces the local mine stiffness (LMS) of the HSZ, allowing the system to meet the stiffness criterion even with a hard roof, thereby raising the r_I in HSZ and reconciling the contrast between stiffness theory and engineering experience. Failures within HSZ of the USCS enables the roof strata to release bending deformation energy without roof breakage. (3) The normal stress of HSZ is positively correlates with the value of E_RH_RK_HS_L/K_LS_H; The LMS of the HSZ is positively correlated with the value of E_RK_L/K_HH_RS_LS_H. The USCS boasts significant advantages in integrating and harmonizing various existing theories and explaining multiple specific types of coal bursts. By applying relevant USCS findings, new explanations can be provided for engineering phenomena such as the time-delayed coal bursts, the inefficient pressure relief in ultra thick coal seams, and the “microseism deficiency” observed prior to certain coal bursts.

An analysis of the stiffness theory reveals that coal mass compression bumps occur only when both the failure criterion and the stiffness criterion are simultaneously satisfied. Then a new structural factor called uneven stiffness coal seam structure (USCS) is proposed, which consists of an uneven stiffness coal seam along with continuous roof and floor. The USCS serves the dual functions of pressure concentration and stiffness reduction. The former facilitates stress concentration from the low stiffness zone (LSZ) to the high stiffness zone (HSZ), thus raising the risk (rF) of failure. The latter reduces the stiffness of the surrounding rock of the HSZ, allowing the system to meet the stiffness criterion even with a hard roof, thereby reconciling the contradiction between the stiffness theory and engineering experience and raising the risk (rI) of instability. The HSZ of the USCS, including thinning zones, bifurcating areas, magmatic intrusion areas, and remnant pillar affected areas, is more susceptible to coal bump incidents than a conventional coal seam. Mechanical analysis and simple numerical simulations validate the pressure concentration and stiffness reduction functions of the USCS. The results demonstrate the following: 1) The normal stress of the HSZ positively correlates with ER, HR, KH, and SL, but negatively correlates with KL and SH; The stiffness of surrounding rock of the HSZ negatively correlates with HR, KH, SL, and SH, but positively correlates with ER and KL. 2) Failures within the HSZ of the USCS enables the roof strata to release bending deformation energy without undergoing fracturing. 3) The alignment between the HSZ of an existing USCS and the HSZ of an artificial USCS advancing with the working face intensifies stress concentration and reduces stiffness, thereby significantly increases the risk (rCB) of coal bump. By applying the stiffness theory and relevant USCS findings, new explanations can be provided for engineering phenomena such as the time-delayed coal bumps, the inefficient pressure relief in ultra thick coal seams, and the “microseism deficiency” observed prior to certain coal bumps.

The traditional magnetoelectric geophone is widely used in the microseismic monitoring of coal mines. However, its measurement capability in the low-frequency range is insufficient and cannot fully meet the monitoring requirements of underground coal mines, which extend as low as 0.1 Hz. This paper proposes a signal conditioning (SC) circuit based on the extended filtering method to improve the low-frequency response capability of the geophone. Through simulation and experimental tests, it is verified that the designed SC circuit can reduce the cut-off frequency of the EST-4.5C geophone from 4.5 Hz to 0.16 Hz. Meanwhile, the noise introduced by this SC circuit is relatively low thanks to its simple and easy-to-implement structural model. The test results also indicate that it provides a strong ability to resist noise interference for the geophone, which is valuable under complex working conditions. Overall, this circuit offers a feasible option for enhancing the capability of the seismic geophones used in coal mines to detect low-frequency vibration signals.