Layered rocks exhibit notable transverse isotropy and have a significant impact on the deformation and failure characteristics of underground structures. To a large extent, the mechanical properties of layered rocks are related to the structure and stress state of their bedding planes. To obtain an in‐depth understanding of the deformation and yield characteristics of layered rocks, a mechanical model for layered rocks incorporating planes of weakness and volumetric stress is proposed by improving the strain‐hardening/softening ubiquitous‐joint model based on continuum mechanics methods. In this mechanical model, elastoplastic equations for the matrix and bedding planes of layered rocks are established. The evolution of the mechanical parameters of the matrix and bedding planes of layered rocks with the internal variable is determined. In addition, the sensitivity of the model parameters is analyzed, and a method for determining the parameters is provided to reduce the complexity in obtaining these parameters. The numerical calculation results for the laboratory tests on layered sandstone specimens under various stress levels agree relatively well with the test results, thereby validating the effectiveness of the improved model. The methods and results of this study provide a significant reference for the analysis of the deformation and failure of other layered rocks.

This study considered longwall working face No. 41101—located in a steeply inclined coal seam at the Awuzisu coal mine in Xinjiang, China—as an example in which macroscopic shear cracks had occurred in the cement-based filling body of the gob-side entry retention structure. A mechanical model of the support structure for the gob-side entry retention was first established. Then, field observations and laboratory tests were used to obtain the force exerted by the coal wall on the main roof, the relationship between the axial bearing capacity and compression ratio of the rubble inside the gob, the supporting force exerted by the rubble and filling body, and the thrust of the rubble on the filling body. The shear stress experienced by the roadside filling body of the gob-side entry retention in working face No. 41101 was calculated to be 15.89 MPa. To meet the needs of roadside support, an innovative roadside backfill–truss support structure was adopted, with a 60° angle of inclination used for the anchor bolts of the gob-side entry retention structure. In this way, the ultimate shear strength was improved by 107.54% in comparison with the cement-based filling body.

The Gaojialiang Coal Mine in Inner Mongolia in China was used as an example to investigate the process of chain pillar and gateroad failure in the lower coal seam under the effect of an irregular residual coal pillar in the upper close‐distance coal seam. The results indicated that after the longwall face in the lower coal seam retreated through the area under the large irregular residual coal pillar in the upper coal seam, the bearing area of the residual coal pillar decreased and the roof pressure continuously concentrated in the elastic core area of the residual coal pillar. Isolated triangular slab rock was formed above the triangular residual coal pillar, and the weight of the overlying strata was transferred downward through the triangular slab rock. When the chain pillar under the residual coal pillar was destroyed due to loading that exceeded its carrying capacity, the upper triangular slab rock rotated and sank, which resulted in the intensification of the concentrated stress in the solid rib of the gateroad in the lower coal seam. Based on the analysis, it is suggested that in the design of a longwall system, a gateroad under an isolated residual coal pillar in the upper coal seam should be avoided when mining in close‐distance coal seams.

During the mining of the shallow‐buried and close‐distance multiple coal seam, the rheological failure of the surrounding weakly cemented soft rock of the roadway in the lower coal seam under the concentrated stress is very rare. However, the stress on the roof of the upper coal seam is transmitted down through the residual pillar, resulting in this situation. Taking the Gaojialiang coal mine which is located in the mining areas of western China as the research object, the failure mechanism of the roadway roof under the residual coal pillar in the shallow‐buried and close‐distance multiple seam is studied in combination with field monitoring and numerical simulation. Furthermore, suggestions on the roadway support under such geological conditions are proposed. The results show that the residual coal pillar in the working face of the lower coal seam gradually collapses during the mining of the shallow‐buried and close‐distance multiple coal seam. The concentrated stress transferred by the coal pillar increases further, which makes the roof stress of the lower coal seam roadway to increase continuously. In addition, the stress of the roadway roof also increases further due to the rotation of the broken rock above the goaf, and the peek region of stress moves to the nongoaf area. Combining the heavy concentrated stress and weakly cemented property, the shallow‐buried surrounding rock shows rheological behavior and failure. Therefore, we must pay more attention on the creep failure of the roadway roof under the action of the residual coal pillar even in the shallow‐buried coal seam.