Study of the Overlying Strata Movement Law for Paste-Filling Longwall Fully Mechanized in Gaohe Coal Mine

Green mining plays a vital role in achieving environmentally friendly and ecologically sound mining practices. In domestic mining areas, the coal mining method is gradually transitioning from collapse mining to filling mining. Paste filling has been proven effective in controlling surface deformation, although the understanding of its underlying control mechanisms remains incomplete. This study focuses on the E1302 paste-filling working face at Shanxi Gaohe Energy Co., Ltd. and conducts a comprehensive investigation into the movement patterns of overlying strata in longwall fully mechanized mining with paste filling. Through mathematical analysis, a mechanical model for overburden movement in paste-filling faces is established, and the movement behavior of overburden is studied through numerical simulations. Field measurements are conducted to analyze the primary influencing factors of overburden movement, while surface subsidence monitoring is employed to analyze the subsidence characteristics of paste-filling faces. The research reveals that the deflection formula for the roof behind the paste-filling face follows a unitary quartic equation. The key factors influencing significant roof subsidence in filling faces include the filling step distance, filling body strength, and filling rate. Compared to traditional caving mining, filling mining exhibits reduced stress concentration, a smaller range of stress influence, and less deformation in the surrounding rock. The coefficient of gentle subsidence for the overlying rock in filling mining is approximately one-tenth of that in caving mining. The development of cracks in filling mining can be divided into three stages: initial crack propagation, crack recompaction, and stable maintenance of cracks. Notably, the progression of advanced cracks assumes a “sail-shaped” pattern, and the area of crack recompaction is located above the rear side of the excavation. Cracks behind the working face only appear in the basal roof rock layer. When the filling rate in longwall fully mechanized mining with paste filling exceeds 94%, the top plate of the filling working face remains intact but exhibits bending and sinking. The sinking of the top plate increases exponentially with the filling step distance, and approximately 80% of the filling body’s deformation occurs within 20 m after filling. Following backfilling mining, the stability period of the overlying rock is significantly shortened compared to caving mining, resulting in a relatively gentle movement without an active surface movement phase. After six months of backfilling, the overlying rock settles steadily and consistently. The subsidence coefficient for backfilling mining is 0.065, with a maximum surface subsidence of 215 mm. These findings highlight the successful control of surface subsidence. The research outcomes provide an effective theoretical foundation and research direction for predicting overburden movement and surface subsidence in paste-filling faces.