Study of hydro-mechanical behaviours of rough rock fracture with shear dilatancy and asperities using shear-flow model

The geometric properties of fracture surfaces significantly influence shear-seepage in rock fractures,introducing complexities to fracture modelling.The present study focuses on the hydro-mechanical behaviours of rough rock fractures during shear-seepage processes to reveal how dilatancy and fracture asperities affect these phenomena.To achieve this,an improved shear-flow model(SFM)is proposed with the incorporation of dilatancy effect and asperities.In particular,shear dilatancy is accounted for in both the elastic and plastic stages,in contrast to some existing models that only consider it in the elastic stage.Depending on the computation approaches for the peak dilatancy angle,three different versions of the SFM are derived based on Mohr-Coulomb,joint roughness coefficient-joint compressive strength(JRC-JCS),and Grasselli’s theories.Notably,this is a new attempt that utilizes Grasselli’s model in shearseepage analysis.An advanced parameter optimization method is introduced to accurately determine model parameters,addressing the issue of local optima inherent in some conventional methods.Then,model performance is evaluated against existing experimental results.The findings demonstrate that the SFM effectively reproduces the shear-seepage characteristics of rock fracture across a wide range of stress levels.Further sensitivity analysis reveals how dilatancy and asperity affect hydraulic properties.The relation between hydro-mechanical properties(dilatancy displacement and hydraulic conductivity)and asperity parameters is analysed.Several profound understandings of the shear-seepage process are obtained by exploring the phenomenon under various conditions.

A spherical cavity expansion model for penetration of ogival-nosed projectiles into concrete targets with shear-dilatancy

A dynamic spherical cavity-expansion penetration model is suggested herein to predict the penetration and perforation of concrete targets struck normally by ogivalnosed projectiles.Shear dilatancy as well as compressibility of the material in comminuted region are considered in the paper by introducing a dilatant-kinematic relation.A procedure is first presented to compute the radial stress at the cavity surface and then a numerical method is used to calculate the results of penetration and perforation with friction being taken into account.The influences of various target parameters such as shear strength,bulk modulus,density,Poisson＇s ratio and tensile strength on the depth of penetration are delineated.It is shown that the model predictions are in good agreement with available experimental data.It is also shown that the shear strength plays a dominant role in the target resistance to penetration.

Numerical simulation of influence of shear dilatancy on deformation characteristics of shear band-elastic body system

The paper was numerically focused on investigation of deformation, failure and instability of shear band-surrounding elastic rock system in plane strain direct shear test considering shear dilatancy according to fast lagrangian analysis of continua (FLAC). The adopted failure criterion was a composite Mohr-Coulomb criterion with tension cut-off and post-peak constitutive relation of rock, i.e. linear strain-softening. Numerical results show that dilation angle affects the responses of elements, the number and the position of yielded elements. Increasing dilation angle results in higher load-carrying capability of elements, higher deformation or strain corresponding to peak stress, less brittle post-peak stress-deformation curve. Strain-hardening behavior can occur if dilation angle is high. Therefore, shear band-elastic rock body system tends to be stable and rock burst does not occur as dilation angle is increased. Moreover, the number of yielded elements is in- creased with dilation angle increase and two parallel plastic zones initially generated in the middle of two loading ends of specimen no longer remain collinear, reflecting increase in deformation resistant of the system. Evolution of volumetric strain rate was investigated based on three-dimensional curved surface diagrams. Approximately, volumetric strain rate concentration regions coincide with plastic zones. Volumetric strain rate in yielded elements is very evident. However, in elastic zones volumetric strain has not been nearly changed throughout the numerical tests.

Shear strength criteria for rock,rock joints,rockfill and rock masses:Problems and some solutions

Although many intact rock types can be very strong,a critical confining pressure can eventually be reached in triaxial testing,such that the Mohr shear strength envelope becomes horizontal.This critical state has recently been better defined,and correct curvature or correct deviation from linear Mohr-Coulomb（MC） has finally been found.Standard shear testing procedures for rock joints,using multiple testing of the same sample,in case of insufficient samples,can be shown to exaggerate apparent cohesion.Even rough joints do not have any cohesion,but instead have very high friction angles at low stress,due to strong dilation.Rock masses,implying problems of large-scale interaction with engineering structures,may have both cohesive and frictional strength components.However,it is not correct to add these,following linear M-C or nonlinear Hoek-Brown（H-B） standard routines.Cohesion is broken at small strain,while friction is mobilized at larger strain and remains to the end of the shear deformation.The criterion ＇c then σn tan φ＇ should replace ＇c plus σn tan φ＇ for improved fit to reality.Transformation of principal stresses to a shear plane seems to ignore mobilized dilation,and caused great experimental difficulties until understood.There seems to be plenty of room for continued research,so that errors of judgement of the last 50 years can be corrected.

Effect of gravel on rock failure in glutenite reservoirs under different confining pressures

Due to the existence of gravel,glutenite is heterogeneous and different from fine-grained rocks such as sandstone and shale in structure.To fully understand the effect of gravel on failure mode in glutenite,we performed triaxial compression tests on different glutenites.The results indicate that failure modes of glutenite are complex due to the existence of gravel.Under different confining pressures,three failure modes were observed.The first failure mode,a tensile failure under uniaxial compression,produces multiple tortuous longitudinal cracks.In this failure mode,the interaction between gravels provides the lateral tensile stress for rock splitting.The second failure mode occurs under low and medium confining pressure and produces a crack band composed of micro-cracks around gravels.This failure mode conforms to the Mohr-Coulomb criterion and is generated by shear failure.In this failure mode,shear dilatancy and shear compaction may occur under different confining pressures to produce different crack band types.In the second failure mode,gravel-induced stress concentration produces masses of initial micro-cracks for shear cracking,and gravels deflect the fracture surfaces.As a result,the fracture is characterized by crack bands that are far broader than in fine-grained rocks.The third failure mode requires high confining pressure and produces disconnected cracks around gravels without apparent crack bands.In this failure mode,the gravel rarely breaks,indicating that the formation of these fractures is related to the deformation of the matrix.The third failure mode requires lower confining pressure in glutenite with weak cement and matrix support.Generally,unlike fine-grained rocks,the failure mode of glutenite is not only controlled by confining pressure but also by the gravel.The failure of glutenite is characterized by producing cracks around gravels.These cracks are produced by different mechanisms and distributed in different manners under different confining pressures to form different fracture patterns.Therefore,understanding the rock microstructure and formation stress state is essential in guiding glutenite reservoir development.

Earthquake-induced fracture displacements and transmissivity changes in a 3D fracture network of crystalline rock for spent nuclear fuel disposal

During the long service period of a nuclear waste repository in crystalline rock,large earthquake(s)may occur nearby the repository site and coseismically alter the local stress field around pre-existing fractures within the geological formation.The resulting fracture normal/shear displacements may lead to fracture opening and further promote the transport of leaked radionuclides into the groundwater system.Thus,it is of central importance to analyze the consequences of potential future earthquake(s)on the hydrogeological properties of a repository site for spent nuclear fuel disposal.Based on the detailed site characterization data of the repository site at Forsmark,Sweden,we conduct a three-dimensional(3D)seismo-hydro-mechanical simulation using the 3Dimensional Distinct Element Code(3DEC).We explicitly represent a primary seismogenic fault zone and its surrounding secondary fracture network associated with a power-law size scaling and a Fisher orientation distribution.An earthquake with a magnitude of M_(w)=5.6 caused by the reactivation of the primary fault zone is modeled by simulating its transient rupture propagating radially outwards from a predefined hypocenter at a specified rupture speed,with the faulting dynamics controlled by a strength weakening law.We model the coseismic response of the off-fault fracture network subject to both static and dynamic triggering effects.We further diagnose the distribution of fracture hydro-mechanical properties(e.g.mechanical/hydraulic aperture,hydraulic transmissivity)before and after the earthquake in order to quantify earthquakeinduced hydraulic changes in the fracture network.It is found that earthquake-induced fracture transmissivity changes tend to follow a power-law decay with the distance to the earthquake fault.Our simulation results and insights obtained have important implications for the long-term performance assessment of nuclear waste repositories in fractured crystalline rocks.

Shear behavior and dilatancy of an artificial hard-matrix bimrock: An experimental study focusing on the role of blocky structure

Bimrocks are characterized by their geotechnically significant blocky structure,presenting complex shear behavior.This study investigates the shear behavior and dilatancy of bimrocks featuring a rock-like matrix,such as conglomerates.The study addresses a gap in current research,which has predominantly examined the shear behavior of soil-matrix bimrocks(bimsoils).Laboratory direct shear tests were performed on idealized models with varying volumetric block proportions(VBPs).The results highlight that blocks exert both positive and negative effects on shear strength,dilation,and block breakage factor(BF),depending on VBP.Results indicate 40%and 60%as critical VBPs,revealing distinct shear strength trends within this range,contrary to the dominant downward trend.Blocks positively impact dilation and BF between 20%and 50%VBP,while negatively affecting them beyond this range.Blocky skeleton inherently promotes stable dilatancy under normal stress increments and intensifies stress dependency of shear strength.Variations in dilation angle concerning normal stress and VBP suggest the potential for characterizing this factor using equivalent strength and roughness,akin to rockfill materials.Indirect assessments of equivalent strength revealed positive effects of blocks when VBP was between 30%and 70%.Lastly,the findings indicate that blocks notably impact pre-and post-peak behaviors by reducing shear stiffness and inducing local hardening phases.This study also discusses the similarities and distinctions in the function of blocks within soil-like and rock-like matrices.It offers new insights into the exact role of blocks in bimrock shear behavior beyond the traditional interpretation through the variation of friction and cohesion.

ELASTO-PLASTIC CONSTITUTIVE MODEL OF SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERFACE IN CONSIDERATION OF STRAIN SOFTENING AND DILATION

The behavior of soil-structure interface plays a major role in the definition of soil-structure interaction. In this paper a bi-potential surface elasto-plastic model for soil-structure interface is proposed in order to describe the interface deformation behavior,including strain softening and normal dilatancy. The model is formulated in the framework of generalized potential theory,in which the soil-structure interface problem is regard as a two-dimensional mathematical problem in stress field,and plastic state equations are used to replace the traditional field surface. The relation curves of shear stress and tangential strain are fitted by a piecewise function composed by hyperbolic functions and hyperbolic secant functions,while the relation curves of normal strain and tangential strain are fitted by another piecewise function composed by quadratic functions and hyperbolic secant functions. The approach proposed has the advantage of deriving an elastoplastic constitutive matrix without postulating the plastic potential functions and yield surface. Moreover,the mathematical principle is clear,and the entire model parameters can be identified by experimental tests. Finally,the predictions of the model have been compared with experimental results obtained from simple shear tests under normal stresses,and results show the model is reasonable and practical.

Analytical solutions of stress and displacement in strain softening rock mass around a newly formed cavity

The closed form solutions of the stress and displacement in strain softening rock mass around a newly formed cavity are derived with a three step-wise elasto-plastic model. Hoek-Brown criterion is adopted as the yielding criterion of rock mass. Damage factors are proposed to account for degradation of the material parameters to reflect the degree of strain softening. The surrounding rock mass around the cavity is divided into three regions: elastic region, strain softening region and residual state region. The analytical solutions of stress, strain, displacement and radius of each region are obtained. The effects of the strain softening and shear dilatancy behavior on the results are investigated with parametric studies. The results show that the radii of the residual state region and strain softening region in the surrounding rock mass with higher damage degree are larger. The radii of the residual state region and strain softening region are 1-2 times and 1.5-3 times of the cavity radius, respectively. The radial and tangential stresses decrease with the increase of the damage factor. The displacement of the cavity wall for the case with maximum plastic bulk strain is nearly twice than that with no dilation. Rock mass moves more toward the center for the case with larger damage factor and shear dilation. The area of the plastic region is larger when the damage factors are considered. The displacements in the surrounding rock mass increase with the increase of the damage factors and shear dilation factors. The solutions can be applied to the stability analysis and support design of the underground excavation.

ANALYTICAL SOLUTIONS TO EXPANSION OF CYLINDRICAL CAVITY IN LINEAR SOFTENING SOIL

Based on the results of conventional triaxial compression tests for a soil, a trilinear elasto-plastic model is proposed to simulate the stress-strain softening curve. According to this curve, the constitutive relation between the bulk strain and two principal strains is established. By using Mohr-Coulomb’s yield criterion as the initial yield function with plastic ?ow phases stage and constructing the rational yield function for the strain softening phase stage, the analytical solutions to the stress, strain, and displacement ?elds for the expansion of cylindrical cavity are presented. Finally, a computational example is used to show the radii of di?erent stress zones and the corresponding internal pressure.