Abstract: In this paper, to ensure that a fully mechanized caving face can pass collapse column safely and efficiently, numerical simulation was carried out based on the real mining and geological conditions of No.1 coal mine in Pingshuo coal industry company. Meanwhile, survey lines were arranged to monitor the vertical stress values. The results show that the whole process during fully mechanized caving face passing the collapse column can be divided into six stages according to the vertical stress variation, that is, normal stress stage, stress smooth increasing stage, stress abnormal increasing stage, stress decreasing stage, stress secondary increasing stage, and normal stress recovering stage. Meanwhile, based on the voussoir beam theory, the roof structure characteristics and mechanical properties of the six stages were analyzed, and the roof-supporting measures were proposed correspondingly.

Key words: fully mechanized caving face, collapse column, stage division, roof structure