Abstract: In order to research the overburden failure laws for staggered stopes in extremely close thick coal seam, the evolution of overburden failure structure in the process of mining is analyzed by pressure arch theory. Through FLAC^3D mining model is established, and the following conclusions are got, including that when the lower face is far away from the upper goaf, the overburden failure structure is relative independence; when the face advances a certain distance, the stress concentration factor is 1.8, and the span and the height of arch is stable; when the lower face closes to the upper goaf, and the distance is in about 40 m, concentration coefficient is 3.3, with the decrease of distance, the concentration coefficient continually increases, which easily lead to the transfixion of two structure arches; when the lower face is on the top of goaf, the face is in discharging pressure condition, stress concentration factor is small; when the face pass through the goaf, stress concentration coefficient is 2.3, which is mainly because of the stope mining superposition of two spaces.