Face-end supports: current status and development trends

M.K. Korolev1, Yu.V. Malakhov1, S.M. Nikitenko1, I. Weiss2
¹ Federal Research Center for Coal and Coal Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Kemerovo, Russian Federation
² EEP Elektro-Elektronik Pranjic GmbH, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Russian Mining Industry №S2 / 2023 р. 95-100

Abstract: The issues of safe and efficient mining of coal deposits are gaining additional significance as mining and geological conditions become more complicated at deeper license blocks and mining takes of operating mines. In this case, a large-scale network of development workings is created, as well as their interfaces, which are characterized by a complex configuration, and in the areas of their construction, the formation pressure is manifested to the greatest degree. It is noted that mechanization of operations at the interfaces of the faces and adjacent mine workings is a defining factor in the efficient use of the powered mining complexes for coal mining. The article presents a patent collection formed by the authors, consisting of patent families related to the interfaces of the mine workings, from which the patent families were selected that contain the designs of powered face-end roof supports. The paper justifies the trends in development of the face-end supports that include increasing reliability of all the elements and units; increasing stability; integration into automated mining complexes; optimization of manufacturing costs. The authors note the tendency to develop the design of face-end supports of the walking type, which is associated with their main feature, i.e. the possibility of permanent roof support during the face advance to elimination of the effect of the roof "hanging about". This made it possible to fully justify the principle layout of a perspective design of the face-end support. As the result, a possible scope of application is justified for the mechanized walking roof support to maintain the interfaces of the development workings and the working faces.

Keywords: mining and geological conditions, interfaces of mine workings, stability, face-end support, patent analysis, walking support

Acknowledgments: The publication was prepared as part of a grant from the Russian Ministry of Education and Science (Agreement No. 075-15-2022-1190).

For citation: Korolev M.K., Malakhov Yu.V., Nikitenko S.M., Weiss I. Face-end supports: current status and development trends. Russian Mining Industry. 2023;(S2):95–100. https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2023-S2-95-100

Article info

Received: 29.07.2023

Revised: 14.08.2023

Accepted: 18.08.2023

Information about the authors

Mikhail K. Korolev – Lead Engineer, Coal Engineering Laboratory, Federal Research Center for Coal and Coal Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Kemerovo, Russian Federation; е-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Yury V. Malakhov – Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Lead Engineer, Coal Engineering Laboratory, Federal Research Center for Coal and Coal Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Kemerovo, Russian Federation; е-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Sergey M. Nikitenko – Dr. Sci. (Econ.), Associate Professor, Chief Research Associate, Coal Engineering Laboratory, Federal Research Center for Coal and Coal Chemistry of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Kemerovo, Russian Federation; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Inna Weiss – Cand. Sci. (Eng.) (PhD in engineering), Head of sales department, EEP Elektro-Elektronik Pranjic GmbH, Gelsenkirchen, Germany.

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