Abstract: The formation of water conducting channel in overlying strata of stope is the result of comprehensive action including fault， bedding， plastic failure area， and so on. In this paper， based on the engineering background of 34201 fully mechanized top coal caving face passing through faults group in Pingshuo No.3 Coal Mine， FLAC3D numerical simulation software was used to calculate and analyze the plastic failure area， displacement and stress field distribution characteristics of surrounding rock before and after the working face passes through fault group. The results show that:under the geological conditions of bedding development，the tensile stress area of overlying strata is approximately S-shaped or Z-shaped；the larger maximum principal stress distribution is "arch ring" and the smaller minimum principal stress distribution is "tree crown".In the intersection area between "arch ring" and "tree crown type"，the rock mass is prone to shear failure.When the tensile failure zone， shear failure zone and separation zone are all connected with the fault， the water conducting channel of overlying strata can be formed.Therefore， the mining height should be reduced when the working face pushes through the fault group to avoid the connection of the water passage.The simulation results further show that when the 34201 working face pushes through the fault Fs27， the Fs27 and Fs28 faults have a certain range of dislocation and activation， and the goaf separation mainly occurs within 73 m above the roof. After adopting the measures to reduce the mining height， the 34201 working face has passed through the fault group safely.

Key words: fully mechanized caving face, fault group, numerical simulation, water inrush channel, stress field