A General Review on Longwall Mining-Induced Fractures in Near-Face Regions

It is believed that underground longwall mining usually produces fractures in the surrounding rocks. On the one hand, mining-induced fractures not only degrade the strength of the rock mass but also serve as main channels for fluids (e.g., water and methane). Fractures facilitate the failure of the rock mass and fluid inrush into working spaces. Therefore, mining-induced fractures are significant for the safety evaluation of underground...