Abstract: In order to ensure the stability of the thick coal seam with parting in gob-side entry in longwall top coal caving, and to increase the safety and effectiveness in mining, the numerical model has been employed to analyse the stress distribution of gob-side entry, plastic strain area distribution and movement of rocks under the different conditions of dirt bands. Result of research shows that the existence of band layers has destroyed the continuity of the surrounding rock, which causes the roads becoming unstable; while in the thick layers, surrounding rocks are relatively stable. When hardness of the layers and that of coal seam are the same, and these bands lay on the top of road, the rocks surrounding the roads are also relatively stable. And on this basis, an appropriate technique of surrounding rock control is proposed, in which a combination of rock bolting-wire mesh and steel rectangular shape support are chosen and the suitable parameters are identified. Engineering practice has proved the rationality of the proposed technique, ensuring the safety and effectiveness in long wall extraction.

Key words: thick coal seam with parting, gob-side entry driving, deformation of entry, surrounding rock control