• Computers and Concrete
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.93-100
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• 2018

It is seldom possible that geotechnical materials like rocks and concretes found without joints, cracks, or discontinuities. Thereby, the impact of micro-cracks on the mechanical properties of them is to be considered. In the present study, the effect of micro-crack on the failure mechanism of rock specimens under uniaxial compression was investigated experimentally. For this purpose, thermal stress was used to induce micro-cracks in the specimens. Several cylindrical and disk shape specimens were drilled from granite collected from Zanjan granite mine, Iran. Some of the prepared specimens were kept in room temperature and the others were heated by a laboratory furnace to different temperature levels (200, 400, 600, 800 and 1000 degree Celsius). During the experimental tests, Acoustic Emission (AE) sensors were used to monitor specimen failure at the different loading sequences. Also, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used to distinguish the induced micro-crack by heating in the specimens. The fractographic analysis revealed that the thin sections heated to $800^{\circ}C$ and $1000^{\circ}C$ contain some induced micro-fractures, but in the thin sections heated to $200^{\circ}C$, $400^{\circ}C$ and $600^{\circ}C$ have not been observed any micro-fracture. In the next, a comprehensive experimental investigation was made to evaluate mechanical properties of heated and unheated specimens. Results of experimental tests showed that induced micro-cracks significantly influence on the failure mode of specimens. The specimens kept at room temperature failed in the splitting mode, while the failure mode of specimens heated to $800^{\circ}C$ are shearing and the specimens heated to $1000^{\circ}C$ failed in the spalling mode. On the basis of AE monitoring, it is found that with increasing of the micro-crack density, the ratio of the number of shear cracks to the number of tensile cracks increases, under loading sequences.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.47-56
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• 2019

Crossing (X-type) flaws are commonly encountered in rock mass. However, the crack coalescence and failure mechanisms of rock mass with X-type flaws remain unclear. In this study, we investigate the compressive failure process of rock-like specimens containing two X-type flaws aligned in the loading direction. For comparison purposes, compressive failure behavior of specimens containing two aligned single flaws is also studied. By examining the crack coalescence behavior, two characteristics for the aligned X-type flaws under uniaxial compression are revealed. The flaws tend to coalesce by cracks emanating from flaw tips along a potential path that is parallel to the maximum compressive stress direction. The flaws are more likely to coalesce along the coalescence path linked by flaw tips with greater maximum circumferential stress if there are several potential coalescence paths almost parallel to the maximum compressive stress direction. In addition, we find that some of the specimens containing two aligned X-type flaws exhibit higher strengths than that of the specimens containing two single parallel flaws. The two underlying reasons that may influence the strengths of specimens containing two aligned X-type flaws are the values of flaw tips maximum circumferential stresses and maximum shear stresses, as well as the shear crack propagation tendencies of some secondary flaws. The research reported here provides increased understanding of the fundamental nature of rock/rock-like material failure in uniaxial compression.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.461-474
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• 2020

Analysing the incompatible deformation and damage evolution around the tunnels in mixed strata is significant for evaluating the tunnel stability, as well as the interaction between the support system and the surrounding rock mass. To investigate this issue, confined compression tests were conducted on upper-soft and lower-hard strata specimens containing a circular hole using a rock testing system, the physical mechanical properties were then investigated. Then, the incompatible deformation and failure modes of the specimens were analysed based on the digital speckle correlation method (DSCM) and Acoustic Emission (AE) data. Finally, numerical simulations were conducted to explore the damage evolution of the mixed strata. The results indicate that at low inclination angles, the deformation and v-shaped notches inside the hole are controlled by the structure plane. Progressive spalling failure occurs at the sidewalls along the structure plane in soft rock. But the transmission of the loading force between the soft rock and hard rock are different in local. At high inclination angles, v-shaped notches are approximately perpendicular to the structure plane, and the soft and hard rock bear common loads. Incompatible deformation between the soft rock and hard rock controls the failure process. At inclination angles of 0°, 30° and 90°, incompatible deformations are closely related to rock damage. At 60°, incompatible deformations and rock damage are discordant due that the soft rock and hard rock alternately bears the major loads during the failure process. The failure trend and modes of the numerical results agree very well with those observed in the experimental results. As the inclination angles increase, the proportion of the shear or tensile damage exhibits a nonlinear increase or decrease, suggesting that the inclination angle of mixed strata may promote shear damage and restrain tensile damage.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.431-446
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• 2017

Rock bridges in rock masses would increase the bearing capacity of Non-persistent discontinuities. In this paper the effect of ratio of rock bridge surface to joint surface, rock bridge shape and normal load on failure behaviour of intermittent rock joint were investigated. A total of 42 various models with dimensions of $15cm{\times}15cm{\times}15cm$ of plaster specimens were fabricated simulating the open joints possessing rock bridge. The introduced rock bridges have various continuities in shear surface. The area of the rock bridge was $45cm^2$ and $90cm^2$ out of the total fixed area of $225cm^2$ respectively. The fabricated specimens were subjected to shear tests under normal loads of 0.5 MPa, 2 MPa and 4 MPa in order to investigate the shear mechanism of rock bridge. The results indicated that the failure pattern and the failure mechanism were affected by two parameters; i.e., the ratio of joint surface to rock bridge surface and normal load. So that increasing in joint area in front of the rock bridge changes the shear failure mode to tensile failure mode. Also the tensile failure change to shear failure by increasing the normal load.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.93-100
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• 1999

In rock, there are many microsopic structures which influence the mechnical behavior of rock. Many microstructures interact with each other, and furthermore, material constants vary discontinuously within rock, as most rocks are composed of several minerals. Taking into account this feature, it may be possible to contemplate a microstructure of rock as a unit cell by which the rock is constituted periodically. If this idealization is acceptable, the homogenization method can be applied. In this research, various microcracks on rock specimens were observed through a stereoscopic microscope under uniaxial compression. On the other hand, local stress distribution in the periodic-micro structure was calculated by the homogenization method. Then it is shown that there is a possibility to establish a relation between the behavior of microcrack and macroscopic load quantitatively by the linear fracture mechanics.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.113-123
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• 2011

The effective teaching of Earth Science in the classroom should be augmented by field studies of rocks and minerals in a competently designed school rock garden(SRG). The displayed specimens must be correctly identified, labeled and esthetically evaluated. SRG is more than a general garden with just landscaping and it should provide students with freedom of conducting independent inquiries. The composition of the selected specimens should be representative of the bedrocks of region as well as of Korea in general. There are 130 schools in Jeonju-city and 35 (26.9%) have established rock gardens. There is a pressing demand for more gardens and number of display samples in school. The existing displays need improvement because some samples are not correctly identified and labeled. In addition, there is a duplication of rock types as well as lack of important rock types. The number and composition of the displayed rocks and minerals should be related to the school curriculum and reflect representative bedrocks of Jeonju-city and region.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.273-284
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• 2018

A detailed understanding of the mechanical behaviors for crushed coal rocks after grouting is a key for construction in the broken zones of mining engineering. In this research, experiments of grouting into the crushed coal rock using independently developed test equipment for solving the problem of sampling of crushed coal rocks have been carried out. The application of uniaxial compression was used to approximately simulate the ground stress in real engineering. In combination with the analysis of crack evolution and failure modes for the grouted specimens, the influences of different crushed degrees of coal rock (CDCR) and solidified grout strength (SGS) on the mechanical behavior of grouted specimens under uniaxial compression were investigated. The research demonstrated that first, the UCS of grouted specimens decreased with the decrease in the CDCR at constant SGS (except for the SGS of 12.3 MPa). However, the UCS of grouted specimens for constant CDCR increased when the SGS increased; optimum solidification strengths for grouts between 19.3 and 23.0 MPa were obtained. The elastic moduli of the grouted specimens with different CDCR generally increased with increasing SGS, and the peak axial strain showed a slightly nonlinear decrease with increasing SGS. The supporting effect of the skeleton structure produced by the solidified grouts was increasingly obvious with increasing CDCR and SGS. The possible evolution of internal cracks for the grouted specimens was classified into three stages: (1) cracks initiating along the interfaces between the coal blocks and solidified grouts; (2) cracks initiating and propagating in coal blocks; and (3) cracks continually propagating successively in the interfaces, the coal blocks, and the solidified grouts near the coal blocks. Finally, after the propagation and coalescence of internal cracks through the entire specimens, there were two main failure modes for the failed grouted specimens. These modes included the inclined shear failure occurring in the more crushed coal rock and the splitting failure occurring in the less crushed coal rock. Both modes were different from the single failure mode along the fissure for the fractured coal rock after grouting solidification. However, compared to the brittle failure of intact coal rock, grouting into the different crushed degree coal rocks resulted in ductile deformation after the peak strength for the grouted specimens was attained.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.33-43
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• 2008

The techniques for measuring the bulking factor of rock mass in subsidence area have never been well known all over the world. The volumetric expansion ratios obtained from blasting operation were the only way of acquiring the bulking factor of rock mass. The bulking factor of rock mass obtained from blasting operation, however, has been seldom classified in a certain criterion. Also the bulking factor of rock mass can be very dependent upon rock types. In order to overcome this limitation obtained from these reasons, the authors studied the experimental bulking factor of rock mass according to the stacking shapes as well as the overburden stresses. Gneiss, limestone and shale were chosen for testing specimens, and each bulking factor has been measured with laboratory test of applying a constant load on the fragmented rock specimens.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.535-546
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• 2020

The stress environment of deep rock masses is complex. Under the action of earthquakes or blasting, the strength and stability of anchored rock masses in fracture zones or faults are affected. To explore the variation in anchored rock masses under creep-fatigue loading, shear creep comparative testing of anchored marble specimens with or without fatigue loading is performed. Considering the damage variable of rock under fatigue loading, a rheological model is established to characterize the whole shear creep process of anchored rock masses under creep-fatigue loading. The results show that (1) the overall deformation of marble under creep-fatigue loading is larger than that under only shear creep loading, and the average deformation is increased by 18.3%. (2) By comparing the creep curves with and without fatigue loading, the two curves basically coincide when the first level stress is applied, and the two curves are stable with the increase in stress level. The results show that the strain difference among the specimens increases gradually in the steady-state stage and reaches the maximum at the fourth level. (3) The shear creep is described by considering the creep mechanical properties of anchored rock masses under fatigue loading. The accuracy of this creep-fatigue model is verified by laboratory tests, and the applicability of the model is illustrated by the fitting parameter R2. The proposed model provides a theoretical basis for the study of anchored rock masses under low-frequency earthquakes or blasting and new methods for the stability and reinforcement of rock masses.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.212-218
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• 2013

Tuff specimens were thermally treated with predetermined temperatures of 200, 400 and $600^{\circ}C$ to construct specimens simulating weathered tuff rocks. Specific gravity, absorption ratio, elastic wave velocity, uniaxial compressive strength, Brazilian tensile strength, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio and slake-durability index were measured for pre-heated specimens. Heating of rock specimens entailed the degradation of material properties except for slake-durability index. It was found that correlations among P-wave velocity, uniaxial compressive strength, Brazilian tensile strength, Young's modulus and absorption ratio are high. Regression equations which use the P-wave velocity as an independent variable were presented to evaluate uniaxial compressive strength, Brazilian tensile strength, Young's modulus and absorption ratio.