Catastrophic instability criterion for roadway roof and sidewall rock mass under deep-hole roof blasting in Songshan coal mine

Key Points

• Catastrophic instability in roadway rock mass can occur under deep-hole roof blasting conditions, leading to sudden failures.
• The analysis identifies specific failure mechanisms that can compromise rock mass stability during blasting.
• Observational analysis on rock mass behavior in the Songshan coal mine highlights critical instability factors affecting safety.
• Developing this stability criterion may improve mining safety protocols, though localized cave-ins remain a concern.