Abstract: In order to improve the safety of roadway support during thick coal seam mining and reduce the stress of surrounding rock and deformation of surrounding rock, based on the engineering background of a mine of Datong Coal Mine Group, the FLAC^3D numerical simulation software is used to compare the methods of excavating pressure relief tunnel, traditional caving mining method and split-level gateroad combined support method. The support conditions of roadway under different methods are analyzed. The result shows that the split-level gateroad combined support method combines anchorage zone formed by the adjacent working face roadway can greatly improve the stability of surrounding rock, reduce the deformation of roadway surrounding rock and support stress above coal pillar.