To investigate the force and stability of surrounding rock in recovering standing pillars with aeolian in fully-mechanized solid backfilling mining working face

the similar physical simulation method was used to compare and analyze the deformation of the surrounding rock and the stress characteristics of the coal pillar when the caving method and the backfilling method were used. Firstly

based on the similarity principle

the methods to simulate process and time control room mining stage

caving to recover pillars stage and backfilling to recover pillars stage were given

while the precompression of paper

plastic foam and sponge combination were chosen to simulate the stress-strain characteristics of aeolian backfilling material. The results showed that: 1) Comparing with caving method

backfilling with aeolian could reduce activity of overlying strata movement

delay and extend period of overlying strata movement

also could avoid failure of pillars and room roof caused by periodic weighting of main roof and hard formation in caving mining working face; 2) The maximum load were both found at the first rank pillars in front of working face whether caving method or backfilling was used to recover standing pillars

backfilling method could effectively reduce the overall load and the stress of standing pillars

and eliminate the phenomenon of dynamic load damage on these standing pillars.