• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.481-492
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• 2019

Due to the underground openings, the tangentially concentrated stress of the tunnel remains larger at excavation boundary and decreases toward the interior of the surrounding rock with a certain gradient. In order to study the effect of different gradient stress on rockburst, the true-triaxial gradient and hydraulic-pneumatic combined test apparatus were carried out to simulate the rockburst processes. Under the different gradient stress conditions, the rock-like specimen (gypsum) was tested independently through three principal stress directions loading--fast unloading of single surface--top gradient and hydraulic-pneumatic combined loading, which systematically analyzed the macro-mesoscopic damage phenomena, force characteristics and acoustic emission (AE) signals of the specimen during rockburst. The experimental results indicated that the rockburst test under the gradient and hydraulic-pneumatic combined loading conditions could perfectly reflect the rockburst processes and their stress characteristics; Relatively high stress loading could cause specimen failure, but could not determine its mode. The rockburst under the action of gradient stress suggested that the failure mode of specimen mainly depended on the stress gradient. When the stress gradient was lower, progressive and static spalling failure occured and the rockburst grades were relatively slight. On the other hand, shear fractures occurred in rockbursts accounted for increasingly large proportion as the stress gradient increased and the rockburst occurred more intensely and suddenly, the progressive failure process became unconspicuous, and the rockburst grades were moderate or even stronger.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.567-574
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• 2019

In order to study the effect of stress and water pressure on the permeability of fractured rock mass under three-dimensional stress conditions, a single fracture triaxial stress-seepage coupling model was established; By using the stress-seepage coupling true triaxial test system, large-scale rock specimens were taken as the research object to carry out the coupling test of stress and seepage, the fitting formula of permeability coefficient was obtained. The influence of three-dimensional stress and water pressure on the permeability coefficient of fractured rock mass was discussed. The results show that the three-dimensional stress and water pressure have a significant effect on the fracture permeability coefficient, showing a negative exponential relationship. Under certain water pressure conditions, the permeability coefficient decreases with the increase of the three-dimensional stress, and the normal principal stress plays a dominant role in the permeability. Under certain stress conditions, the permeability coefficient increases when the water pressure increases. Further analysis shows that when the gob floor rock mass is changed from high stress to unloading state, the seepage characteristics of the cracked channels will be evidently strengthened.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.559-572
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• 2020

This paper performs laboratory experiments for borehole stability considering temperature and true triaxial stress condition, and observes a thermo-mechanical behavior of the rock under stress and temperature conditions of deep underground. China yellow sandstone and Hwangdeung granite specimens were used to perform a true triaxial compression test. Mechanical tests were carried out under nine confining pressure conditions, and thermo-mechanical tests using granite samples were carried out under six confining pressure conditions at 60-100℃. In the mechanical tests, maximum principal stress at borehole breakout was proportional to intermediate principal stress. In the thermo-mechanical tests, it was confirmed that thermal stress is added to the stress field of the borehole with the increase in temperature, resulting in additional breakout progress. To analyze the results of the laboratory experiment, Mogi-Coulomb failure criterion was used. The results of traditional triaxial compression test on cylindrical specimens and borehole breakout under true triaxial compressions matched well with Mogi-Coulomb failure criterion.

• 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.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.597-610
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• 2022

Knowledge of the failure behavior of friction materials considering their intermediate principal stress is related to an understanding of situations where these materials might be used: for example, the stability of deep-seated boreholes and fault slip analysis. This study designed equipment for physically implementing true triaxial compression and used it to assess specimens of plaster, a friction material. The material's mechanical behaviors are discussed based on the results. The applicability of the 3D failure criteria are also reviewed. The tested specimens were molded cuboids of width, length, and height 52, 52, and 104 mm, respectively. A total of 24 true triaxial compression tests were performed under various combinations of 𝜎₃ and 𝜎₂ conditions. Conventional uniaxial and triaxial compression tests were employed to estimate the mechanical properties of the plaster for use as parameters for 3D failure criteria. Examining the stress-strain relations of the plaster materials showed that a large difference between the intermediate principal stress and the minimum principal stress indicated strong brittle behavior. The mechanical behavior of the plaster used here reflects the change of intermediate principal stress. Nonlinear multiple regression analysis on the test data in the principal space showed that the modified Wiebols-Cook failure criterion and the modified Lade failure criterion were the most suitable 3D failure criteria for the tested plaster.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.639-655
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• 2016

The effect of particle breakage and intermediate principal stress ratio on the behaviour of crushable granular assemblies under true triaxial stress conditions is studied using the discrete element method. Numerical results show that the increase of intermediate principal stress ratio $b(b=({\sigma}_2-{\sigma}_3)/({\sigma}_1-{\sigma}_3))$ results in the increase of dilatancy at low confining pressures but the decrease of dilatancy at high confining pressures, which stems from the distinct increasing compaction caused by breakage with b. The influence of b on the evolution of the peak apparent friction angle is also weakened by particle breakage. For low relative breakage, the relationship between the peak apparent friction angle and b is close to the Lade-Duncan failure model, whereas it conforms to the Matsuoka-Nakai failure model for high relative breakage. In addition, the increasing tendency of relative breakage, calculated based on a fractal particle size distribution with the fractal dimension being 2.5, declines with the increasing confining pressure and axial strain, which implies the existence of an ultimate graduation. Finally, the relationship between particle breakage and plastic work is found to conform to a unique hyperbolic correlation regardless of the test conditions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 1994.03b
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• pp.3-12
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• 1994

Based on the shear failure mechanism, hydraulic fracturing criteria are extended to three dimensional stress state. According to the situation of the directions of borehole and major principal stress axes, three equations can be derived for three dimensional hydraulic fracturing problems. By comparing these equations, a single criterion is selected for hydraulic fracturing pressure in cohesive soils. The criterion is a function of maximum principal stress, minimum principal stress and soil parameters in UU conditions. The equation indicates that with any increase in maximim principal stress, hydraulic fracturing pressure decreases. In order to prove the integrity of the criteria, laboratory tests are performed on compacted cubical specimens using true a triaxial apparatus. The shape and direction of fractures are determined by injecting colored water after fracture initiation. It is found that the direction of fractures are perpendicular to the o1 plane.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.22-31
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• 2004

Laboratory experiments were conducted in order to find effects of the intermediate principal stress of ${\sigma}_{2}$ on rock fractures and faults. Polyaxial tests were carried out under the most generalized compressive stress conditions, in which different magnitudes of the least and intermediate principal stresses ${\sigma}_{3}$ and ${\sigma}_{2}$ were maintained constant, and the maximum stress ${\sigma}_{1}$, was increased to failure. Two crystalline rocks (Westerly granite and KTB amphibolite) exhibited similar mechanical behavior, much of which is neglected in conventional triaxial compression tests in which ${\sigma}_{2}$ = ${\sigma}_{3}$. Compressive rock failure took the form of a main shear fracture, or fault, steeply dipping in ${\sigma}_{3}$ direction with its strike aligned with ${\sigma}_{2}$ direction. Rock strength rose significantly with the magnitude of ${\sigma}_{2}$, suggesting that the commonly used Mohr-type failure criteria, which ignore the ${\sigma}_{2}$ effect, predict only the lower limit of rock strength for a given ${\sigma}_{3}$ level. The true triaxial failure criterion for each of the crystalline rocks can be expressed as the octahedral shear stress at failure as a function of the mean normal stress acting on the fault plane. It is found that the onset of dilatancy increases considerably for higher ${\sigma}_{2}$. Thus, ${\sigma}_{2}$ extends the elastic range for a given ${\sigma}_{3}$ and, hence, retards the onset of the failure process. SEM inspection of the micromechanics leading to specimen failure showed a multitude of stress-induced microcracks localized on both sides of the through-going fault. Microcracks gradually align themselves with the ${\sigma}_{1}$-${\sigma}_{2}$ plane as the magnitude of ${\sigma}_{2}$ is raised.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.317-333
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• 2014

The study of the mechanical behavior of rockfill materials under three-dimensional loading conditions is a current research focus area. This paper presents a microscale numerical study of rockfill deformation and strength characteristics using the Combined Finite-Discrete Element Method (FDEM). Two features unique to this study are the consideration of irregular particle shapes and particle crushability. A polydisperse assembly of irregular polyhedra was prepared to reproduce the mechanical behavior of rockfill materials subjected to axial compression at a constant mean stress for a range of intermediate principal stress ratios in the interval [0, 1]. The simulation results, including the stress-strain characteristics, relationship between principal strains, and principal deviator strains are discussed. The stress-dilatancy behavior is described using a linear dilatancy equation with its material constants varying with the intermediate principal stress ratio. The failure surface in the principal stress space and its traces in the deviatoric and meridian plane are also presented. The modified Lade-Duncan criterion most closely describes the stress points at failure.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.311-321
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• 2007

Failure of underground structures in hard rocks is a function of the in-situ stress, the intact rock strength and the distribution of fractures in the rock mass. At highly stressed regime, brittle failure is often observed due to excavation-induced stress. The characteristics of brittle failure are classified as failure grade, failure initiation stress, extent of failure and depth of failure. For safety construction of underground structures, these characteristics of brittle failure with stress conditions should be understood. In this study we evaluated the relationship between the extent and depth of failure with stress conditions for failure happened model specimens through true triaxial model experiments. The extent and depth of failure were determined using visual observation and computed tomography (CT). The results indicate that the depth of failure was affected by differential stress perpendicular to the axis of tunnel. However the extent of failure was irrelevant to the stress conditions.