Numerical observations of the failure of a laminated and jointed roof and the effective of different support schemes: a case study

Roof failure related to laminated and jointed rock masses has been recognized as a major cause of fatalities in underground coal mines. This paper presents numerical simulations of the failure of a laminated and jointed roof using the discrete element method, while focusing on the initiation and propagation of (and the interactions between) microcracks and macroscopic fractures and the development of the associated damage, stress and deformation...