The hysteresis of water-sediment mixture seepage in rock fractures is one of the critical factors which affect the determination of the timing of coal mine water inrush disasters prevention and control. In this paper, a mechanical model was established to study the hysteresis whose criteria were also put forward. The area of the hysteresis loop and the maximum pressure gradient were selected as characterization parameters of hysteresis. On this basis, an experimental system was established to study influences of different sand particle size, sand mass concentration, and fracture opening on water-sediment mixture seepage in rock fractures. The results indicated that the increase in the sand particle size and sand mass concentration could effectively enhance hysteresis characteristics of specimen fractures. While hysteresis characteristics decreased significantly with the increase of fracture opening. The research results are useful to prevent and control water inrush disasters of coal mine.
