Abstract: In order to determine the reasonable width of coal pillar in thick coal seam, the position of the basic roof fracture line is obtained through theoretical analysis. The distribution of vertical stress around the roadway along the conventional fully mechanized sublevel caving mining and the mining method of external-misaligned stagger arrangement are analyzed by numerical simulation. At the same time, we compare the single support of the former roadway with the external-misaligned staggered arrangement from supporting forms. Finally, external-misaligned stagger arrangement is used and the offset distance of adjacent roadways is determined to be 1 m. The support of the top coal in the roadway along goaf has been given by “bolt net spray + anchor cable” under the combined support of the upper coal roadway along the roof and the continuous face of the roadway along goaf. This method of coal mining determines the new form of roadway driving along goaf, and plays an important role in weakening the overburden rock to the roadway surrounding rock stress.