Abstract: In order to study the feasibility of the fault detection by transmitting channel wave in thin alternating coal seams of southwestern region, a representative area was selected, and a coal mine in Panzhihua Coal Industry Group was selected as the research object. A three-dimensional geological model with three alternating coal seams containing three partings, three partings and faults and without parting was established based on actual geological data. Through the forward simulation and analysis of the characteristics of the wave field and the frequency dispersion of the channel waves of the three dimensional elastic wave, the validity of the amplitude attenuation coefficient imaging in the channel wave detection of the development location and the extension direction of the faults in the thin alternating coal seams was summarized, and combined with the actual application, the propagation velocity, the frequency dispersion characteristics, the influence of the faults and the partings on the propagation of the transmitting channel waves in the thin alternating coal seams were discussed. The results indicated that for the detection of the transmitting channel waves in the thin alternating coal seams, the faults plaid a leading role in the influence on the propagation of the transmitting channel waves in thin alternating coal seams, a parting of less than 0.5 m had little influence on the development and energy imaging of the channel waves, in the case of the same thickness of the coal seams, the dominant frequency of the model with a parting was lower than that of the model without parting, the channel waves can detect relatively accurately the thin alternating coal seams of 2 m thick and with a parting of less than 0.5 m. the research indicate that the transmitting channel waves can detect the location, strike and extension of a fault with the throw bigger chan 1/2 thickness of the coal seam in the thin alternating coal seams, provide reference for the detection of the structures in the thin alternating coal seams in the southwestern region.