CURRENT STATE AND DIRECTION OF DEVELOPMENT OF THICK COAL SEAMS EXAVATION TECHNOLOGY BY POWERED ROOF SUPPORTS WITH CONTROLLED COAL DISCHARGE
Analysis of existing technical solutions of coal discharge in thick coal seams mining is made, new direction of design of mechanized supports having controlled discharge of the underlying coal layer is justified. Numerical simulation of gravitational flow of fragmented rock mass is performed; its interaction with the elements of the powered support section is investigated. Experimental stand was developed and laboratory tests of the coal excavation process were carried out.