Ground stress is the fundamental cause of deformation and failure during underground structural engi- neering. Field stress measurements in the main coal bed in the Lüliang mining area were made by the bore hole, stress relief method. From these data the ground stress distribution of the mining area was obtained. The relationship between the horizontal principal stress and the deformation and failure of a roadway is discussed with an engineering example. The results indicate that horizontal stress dominates in the shallow crust in the Lüliang mining area. Roadways at different angles to the maximum principal stress have different levels of stress concentration. This leads to a significant difference in stability of the corresponding roadways. These research results provide an important criterion for determining roadway position and direction, stope layout, and roadway support design. Ground stress is the fundamental cause of deformation and failure during underground structural engi- neering. Field stress measurements in the main coal bed in the Lüliang mining area were made by the bore hole, stress relief method. From these data the ground stress distribution of the The relationship between the horizontal principal stress and the deformation and failure of a roadway is discussed with an engineering example. The results that that horizontal stress dominates in the shallow crust in the Lüliang mining area. Roadways at different angles to the This research to provide an important criterion for determining roadway position and direction, stope layout, and roadway support design.