On-site investigations consistently show that the rock burst inherent to coal seams varies greatly with coal seam thickness. In this study, impact factors related to coal seam thickness and surrounding rock strength were analyzed and a corresponding rock burst risk assessment method was constructed. The model reflects the influence of coal seam thickness on the stress distribution of surrounding rock at the roadway. Based on the roadway excavation range, a stress distribution model of surrounding roadway rock is established and the influence of coal seam thickness on rock burst risk is analyzed accordingly. The proposed rock burst risk assessment method is based on the equivalent surrounding rock strength and coal seam bursting liability. The proposed method was tested in a 3500 mining area to find that it yields rock burst risk assessment results as per coal seam thickness that are in accordance with real-world conditions. The results presented here suggest that coal seam thickness is a crucial factor in effective rock burst risk assessment.
