• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.439-455
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• 2016

This paper presented solutions of displacement and stress for a circular opening which is reinforced with grouted rock bolt. It satisfies the Mohr-Coulomb (M-C) or generalized Hoek-Brown (H-B) failure criterion, and exhibits elastic-brittle-plastic or strain-softening behavior. The numerical stepwise produce for strain-softening rock mass reinforced with grouted rock bolt was developed with non-associative flow rules and two segments piecewise linear functions related to a principle strain-dependent plastic parameter, to model the transition from peak to residual strength. Three models of the interaction mechanism between grouted rock bolt and surrounding rock proposed by Fahimifar and Soroush (2005) were adopted. Based on the axial symmetrical plane strain assumption, the theoretical solution of the displacement and stress were proposed for a circular tunnel excavated in elastic-brittle-plastic and strain-softening rock mass compatible with M-C or generalized H-B failure criterion, which is reinforced with grouted rock bolt. It showed that Fahimifar and Soroush's (2005) solution is a special case of the proposed solution for n = 0.5. Further, the proposed method is validated through example comparison calculated by MATLAB programming. Meanwhile, some particular examples for M-C or generalized H-B failure criterion have been conducted, and parametric studies were carried out to highlight the influence of different parameters (e.g., the very good, average and very poor rock mass). The results showed that, stress field in plastic region of surrounding rock with considering the supporting effectiveness of the grouted rock bolt is more than that without considering the effectiveness of the grouted rock bolt, and the convergence and plastic radius are reduced.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.195-204
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• 2018

Based on theories of rock mechanics, rock fragmentation, mechanics of elasto-plasticity, and energy dissipation etc., a method is presented for evaluating the rock fragmentation efficiency by using plastic energy dissipation ratio as an index. Using the presented method, the fragmentation efficiency of rocks with different strengths (corresponding to soft, intermediately hard and hard ones) under indentation is analyzed and compared. The theoretical and numerical simulation analyses are then combined with experimental results to systematically reveal the fragmentation mechanism of rocks under indentation of indenter. The results indicate that the fragmentation efficiency of rocks is higher when the plastic energy dissipation ratio is lower, and hence the drilling efficiency is higher. For the rocks with higher hardness and brittleness, the plastic energy dissipation ratio of the rocks at crush is lower. For rocks with lower hardness and brittleness (such as sandstone), most of the work done by the indenter to the rocks is transferred to the elastic and plastic energy of the rocks. However, most of such work is transferred to the elastic energy when the hardness and the brittleness of the rocks are higher. The plastic deformation is small and little energy is dissipated for brittle crush, and the elastic energy is mainly transferred to the kinetic energy of the rock fragment. The plastic energy ratio is proved to produce more accurate assessment on the fragmentation efficiency of rocks, and the presented method can provide a theoretical basis for the optimization of drill bit and selection of well drilling as well as for the selection of the rock fragmentation ways.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Rock Mechanics Conference
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• 2011.09a
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• pp.89-97
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• 2011

Brittle failure of rock is a classical rock mechanics problem. Rock failure not only involves initiation and propagation of single crack, but also is a complex problem associated with initiation, propagation and coalescence of many cracks. As the most important feature of rock material properties is the heterogeneity, the Weibull statistical distribution is employed in the rock failure process analysis (RFPA) method to describe the heterogeneity in rock properties. In this paper, the applications of the RFPA method in geotechnical engineering and rockburst modeling are introduced with emphasis, which can provide some references for relevant researches.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.389-410
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• 2007

For moderately jointed to massive rock masses, the failure and deformation behaviors around an excavated opening are absolutely influenced by the initial rock stress and strength of in-situ rock mass. The localized and progressive brittle failure around an opening does not mean whole collapse of an excavated opening. But, for many cases, it may induce temporary stopping of excavation works and reexamination of the current supporting system, which can result in delay of the entire construction works and additional construction cost. In this paper, the characteristics of the brittle failure around an opening with stress level and tunnel shape was studied by the biaxial compressive test using scaled specimen and by the numerical simulation with $PFC^{2D}$. The biaxial test results were well coincided with the stress induced failure patterns around the excavated openings observed and monitored in the in-situ condition. For the circular part of the opening wall, the stress induced cracks initially occurred at the wall surface in the direction of the minimum principal stress and contributed to the localized notch shaped failure region having a certain range of angle. But for the corner and straight part of the opening wall, the cracks initiated at sharp corners were connected and coalesced each other and with existing micro cracks. Further they resulted in a big notch shaped failure region connecting two sharp corners.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.481-495
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• 2015

Many hydropower stations in southwest China are located in regions of brittle rock mass with high geo-stresses. Under these conditions deep fractured zones often occur in the sidewalls of the underground caverns of a power station. The theory and methods of fracture and damage mechanics are therefore adopted to study the phenomena. First a flexibility matrix is developed to describe initial geometric imperfections of a jointed rock mass. This model takes into account the area and orientation of the fractured surfaces of multiple joint sets, as well as spacing and density of joints. Using the assumption of the equivalent strain principle, a damage constitutive model is established based on the brittle fracture criterion. In addition the theory of fracture mechanics is applied to analyze the occurrence of secondary cracks during a cavern excavation. The failure criterion, for rock bridge coalescence and the damage evolution equation, has been derived and a new sub-program integrated into the FLAC-3D software. The model has then been applied to the stability analysis of an underground cavern group of a hydropower station in Sichuan province, China. The results of this method are compared with those obtained by using a conventional elasto-plastic model and splitting depth calculated by the splitting failure criterion proposed in a previous study. The results are also compared with the depth of the relaxation and fracture zone in the surrounding rock measured by field monitoring. The distribution of the splitting zone obtained both by the proposed model and by the field monitoring measurements are consistent to the validity of the theory developed herein.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.17 no.2 s.67
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• pp.128-138
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• 2007

At low in-situ stress, the continuity and distribution of natural fractures in rock mass predominantly control the failure processes. However at high in-situ stress, the failure process are affected and eventually dominated by stress-induced fractures preferentially growing parallel to the excavation boundary. This fracturing is often observed in brittle type of failure such as slabbing or spatting. Recent studies on the stress- or excavation-induced damage of rock revealed its importance especially in a highly stressed regime. In order to evaluate the brittle failure around a deep underground opening, physical model experiments were carried out. For the experiments a new tue triaxial testing system was made. According to visual observation and acoustic emission detection, brittle failure grades were classified under three categories. The test results indicate that where higher horizontal stress, acting perpendicular $(S_{H2})$ and parallel $(S_{H1})$ to the axis of the tunnel respectively, were applied, the failure grade at a constant vertical stress level (Sy) was lowered. The failure initiation stress was also increased with the increasing $S_{H1}\;and\;S_{H2}$. From the multi-variable regression on failure initiation stress and true triaxial stress conditions, $f(S_v,\;S_{H1},\;S_{H2})$ was proposed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2009.03a
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• pp.1147-1153
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• 2009

The failure modes of rock anchors subjected to tension can be defined as follows: tensile failure of tendon, shear failure on tendon-grout interface, shear failure on grout-rock interface and tensile failure of rock. This study proposes a design method to induce the rock anchor systems to avoid the brittle failure by ensuring the minimum embedded length of rock anchors. Pull-out test results of full-scale rock anchors show that the proposed method is effective in predicting the design conditions expecting the ductile tendon failure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2007.09a
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• pp.127-137
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• 2007

Faults are fractures along which there is visible offset by shear displacement parallel to the fracture surface. Faults can occur as single discrete breaks, but where the rock has been repeatedly faulted, or where the rock is especially weak, no discrete break may be evident. What forms instead is a fault zone composed of countless subparallel and interconnecting closely spaced fault surfaces. Faulting is fundamentally a brittle mechanism for achieving shear displacement. At deep crustal levels where rocks tend to deform plastically under conditions of elevated temperature and confining pressure, shear displacement is achieved by and development of shear zones. In this paper authors propose the fault grade in Korea.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.15 no.2 s.55
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• pp.157-167
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• 2005

Current initial rock stress state is one of the key factors required to evaluate the stability and failure around an excavated opening and its importance increases as the construction depth become deeper and the scale of the rock structure become larger. In this paper, the study was performed to evaluate the characteristics of the regional stress state at Chuncheon-Yanggu mountainous region, the East-North part of Kyeonggi Massif. Forty nine field stress measurements in 9 boreholes were conducted at the depth from 20 m to 290 m by hydraulic fracturing method. The fracturing tracing works were carried out by acoustic televiewer scanning. The study results revealed that the different intial rock stress states presented at different formation rock type and the excessive horizontal stress state with stress ratio(K) close to 3.0 was measured at the depth of 200 m and deeper in the intrusive unite body of the study area. The results from the investigation of excessive horizontal stress and its effect on failure mode showed that there exist several points where the localized excessive horizontal stresses are big enough to potentially induce brittle failures around the future openings greater than 100 m in depth within the granite body of the study area.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.399-409
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• 2016

The fracture propagation mechanism and fractured rock mass failure mechanism were important research in geotechnical engineering field. Many failures and instability in geotechnical engineering were related on fractures propagation, coalescence and interaction in rock mass under the external force. Most of the current research were limited to two-dimensional for the brittleness and transparency of three-dimensional fracture materials couldn't meet the requirements of the experiment. New materials with good transparent and brittleness were developed by authors. The making method of multi fracture specimens were established and made molds that could be reused. The tension-compression ratio of the material reached above 1/6 in normal temperature. Uniaxial and biaxial loading tests of single and double fracture specimens were carried out. Four new fractures were not found in the experiment of two-dimensional fractures such as the fin shaped crack, wrapping wing crack and petal crack and anti-wing crack. The relationship between stress and strain of the specimens were studied. The specimens with the load had experienced four stages of deformation and the process of the fracture propagation was clearly seen in each stage. The expansion characteristics of the fractured specimens were more obvious than the previous research.