To study the damage evolution mechanism of gas-bearing coal and formation causes of acoustic emission signals during this process, the loaded experiments of gas-bearing coal were performed, and acoustic emission (AE) data radiated in this process were collected. Based on the multifractal theory, the causes of AE were explored in various loaded phases. The results showed that at the low stress stage, the fractures close and the friction/slip could cause low-energy acoustic emission events, and the multifractal spectrum had a smaller width. By contrast, at the high stress stage, the cracks expand, penetrate, and rupture, which would lead to AE events with the release of high energy, reflecting an increase in the width of the multifractal spectrum. At the initial loading stage, the time-varying multifractal spectrum was characterized by a chaotic behavior, but as the loading progressed, it gradually became orderly. In the elastic stage, coal experienced elastic deformation without damage, the ratio of strong and weak AE signals was almost the same, and both Δfm and Δαm were close to 0. In the plastic fracture stage, coal body consumed huge amounts of energy and suffered fracture. This also caused the coal body to radiate a large amount of AE signals. An analysis of these signals indicated that strong signals dominated and showed an increasing trend, and Δfm was less than 0 and continued to decrease. The time-varying multifractal characteristics reveal the formation mechanism of AE signals from gas-bearing coal, which contributes to improve our understanding of the mechanism of gas-bearing coal damage.
