Surface crack evolution patterns in freeze-thaw damage of fissured rock bodies

To explore the effects of freeze‒thaw cycles on the mechanical properties and crack evolution of fissured sandstone,biaxial compression experiments were carried out on sandstone subjected to freeze‒thaw cycles to characterize the changes in the physical and mechanical properties of fissured sandstone caused by freeze‒thaw cycles.The crack evolution and crack change process on the surface of the fissured sandstone were recorded and analysed in detail via digital image technology(DIC).Numerical simulation was used to reveal the expansion process and damage mode of fine-scale cracks under the action of freeze‒thaw cycles,and the simulation results were compared and analysed with the experimental data to verify the reliability of the numerical model.The results show that the mass loss,porosity,peak stress and elastic modulus all increase with increasing number of freeze‒thaw cycles.With an increase in the number of freeze‒thaw cycles,a substantial change in displacement occurs around the prefabricated cracks,and a stress concentration appears at the crack tip.As new cracks continue to sprout at the tips of the prefabricated cracks until the microcracks gradually penetrate into the main cracks,the displacement cloud becomes obviously discontinuous,and the contours of the displacement field in the crack fracture damage area simply intersect with the prefabricated cracks to form an obvious fracture.The damage patterns of the fractured sandstone after freeze‒thaw cycles clearly differ,forming a symmetrical"L"-shaped damage pattern at zero freeze‒thaw cycles,a symmetrical"V"-shaped damage pattern at 10 freeze‒thaw cycles,and a"V"-shaped damage pattern at 20 freeze‒thaw cycles.After 20 freeze‒thaw cycles,a"V"-shaped destruction pattern and"L"-shaped destruction pattern are formed;after 30 freeze‒thaw cycles,an"N"-shaped destruction pattern is formed.This shows that the failure mode of fractured sandstone gradually becomes more complicated with an increasing number of freeze‒thaw cycles.The effects of freeze‒thaw cycles on the direction and rate of crack propagation are revealed through a temperature‒load coupled model,which provides an important reference for an in-depth understanding of the freeze‒thaw failure mechanisms of fractured rock masses.

Energy mechanism of bolt supporting effect to fissured rock under static and dynamic loads in deep coal mines

The stability control of fissured rock is difficult,especially under static and dynamic loads in deep coal mines.In this paper,the dynamic mechanical properties,strain rate evolution and energy dissipation of fissured and anchored rocks were respectively obtained by SHPB tests.It was found that bolt can provide supporting efficiency-improving effect for fissured rock against dynamic disturbance,and this effect increased quadratically with decrease in anchoring angles.Then,the energy dissipation mechanism of anchored rock was obtained by slipping model.Furthermore,bolt energy-absorbing mechanism by instantaneous tensile-shear deformation was expressed based on material mechanics,which was the larger the anchoring angle,the smaller the energy absorption,and the less the contribution to supporting efficiency improvement.On this basis,the functional relationship between energy dissipation of anchored rock and energy absorption of bolt was established.Taking the coal-gangue separation system of Longgu coal mine as an example,the optimal anchoring angle can be determined as 57.5°–67.5°.Field monitoring showed fissured rock with the optimal anchoring angle,can not only effectively control the deformation,but also fully exert the energy-absorbing and efficiency-improving effect of bolt itself.This study provides guidance to the stability control and supporting design for deep engineering under the same or similar conditions.

DAMAGE MODEL OF CONTROL FISSURE IN PERILOUS ROCK

Hitherto, perilous rock is the weakest topic in disasters studies. Specially, damage of control fissure under loads is one key technique in study of develop mechanism of perilous rock. Damage division of end area of control fissure was defined by authors, then calculation methods of timed-Poisson＇s ratio and timed-Young＇s modulus were established in damage mechanics theory. Further, the authors set up damage constitutive equation of control fissure, which founds important basis to numerical simulation for control fissure to develop.

Method to calculate fatigue fracture life of control fissure in perilous rock

Rupture and safety of perilous rock are dominated by control fissure behind perilous rock block. Based on model-Ⅰ and model-Ⅱ stress strength factors of control fissure under acting of weight of perilous rock, water pressure in control fissure and earth- quake forces, method to calculate critical linking length of control fissure is established. Take water pressure in control fissure as a variable periodic load, and abide by P-M criterion, when control fissure is filled with water, establish the method to calculate fatigue fracture life of control fissure in critical status by contributing value of stress strength factor stemming from water pressure of control fissure in Paris＇s fatigue equation. Further, parameters （C and m） of sandstone with quartz and feldspar in the area of the Three Gorges Reservoir of China are obtained by fatigue fracture testing.

Experimental and numerical study on loading rate effects of rock-like material specimens containing two unparallel fissures

A series of laboratory experiments and PFC numerical simulations for rock-like material specimens containing two unparallel fissures were carried out.On the basis of experimental and numerical results,the stress-strain curves,mechanical properties,AE events,cracking behavior and energy characteristics were analyzed to reveal the macro-mechanical behavior and meso-mechanism of pre-fissured specimens under different loading rates.Investigated results show that:1)When the loading rate is relatively low,the stress-strain curves show a brittle response.When the loading rate is relatively high,the curve shows a more ductile response.Both of the peak strength and elastic mudulus increase with the increase of loading rate,which can be expressed as power functions.2)Four crack types are identified,i.e.,tensile crack,shear crack,far-field crack and surface spalling.Moreover,the tensile crack,far-field crack and surface spalling are under tensile mechanism,while the shear crack is under shear mechanism.3)The drops of the stress-strain curves all correspond to the crack initiation or coalescence,which is also linked to a sudden increasing in the accumulated micro-crack curve.4)Both of the maximum bond force and energy have the similar trend with the increase of loading rate to peak strength,which indicates that the trend of peak strength can be explained by the meso-mechanics and energy.

Particle flow code simulation of intact and fissured granitic rock samples

This study presents a calibration process of three-dimensional particle flow code(PFC3D)simulation of intact and fissured granite samples.First,laboratory stressestrain response from triaxial testing of intact and fissured granite samples is recalled.Then,PFC3D is introduced,with focus on the bonded particle models(BPM).After that,we present previous studies where intact rock is simulated by means of flatjoint approaches,and how improved accuracy was gained with the help of parametric studies.Then,models of the pre-fissured rock specimens were generated,including modeled fissures in the form of“smooth joint”type contacts.Finally,triaxial testing simulations of 1 t 2 and 2 t 3 jointed rock specimens were performed.Results show that both elastic behavior and the peak strength levels are closely matched,without any additional fine tuning of micro-mechanical parameters.Concerning the postfailure behavior,models reproduce the trends of decreasing dilation with increasing confinement and plasticity.However,the dilation values simulated are larger than those observed in practice.This is attributed to the difficulty in modeling some phenomena of fissured rock behaviors,such as rock piece corner crushing with dust production and interactions between newly formed shear bands or axial splitting cracks with pre-existing joints.

Coal and rock fissure evolution and distribution characteristics of multi-seam mining

Henan Pingdingshan No.10 mine is prone to both coal and gas outbursts.The E_(9-10)coal seam is the main coal-producing seam but has poor quality ventilation,thus making it relatively difficult for gas extraction.The F_(15)coal seam,at its lower section,is not prone to coal and gas outbursts.The average seam separation distance of 150 m is greater than the upper limit for underside protective seam mining.Based on borehole imaging technology for field exploration of coal and rock fracture characteristics and discrete element numerical simulation,we have studied the evolution laws and distribution characteristics of the coal and rock fissure field between these two coal seams.By analysis of the influential effect of group F coal mining on the E_(9-10)coal seam,we have shown that a number of small fissures also develop in the area some 150 m above the overlying strata.The width and number of the fissures also increase with the extent of mining activity.Most of the fissures develop at a low angle or even parallel to the strata.The results show that the mining of the F_(15)coal seam has the effect of improving the permeability of the E_(9-10)coal seam.

An experimental study on fracture mechanical behavior of rock-like materials containing two unparallel fissures under uniaxial compression

Strength and deformability characteristics of rock with pre-existing fissures are governed by cracking behavior. To further research the effects of pre-existing fissures on the mechanical properties and crack coalescence process, a series of uniaxial compression tests were carried out for rock-like material with two unparallel fissures.In the present study, cement, quartz sand, and water were used to fabricate a kind of brittle rock-like material cylindrical model specimen. The mechanical properties of rock-like material specimen used in this research were all in good agreement with the brittle rock materials. Two unparallel fissures（a horizontal fissure and an inclined fissure） were created by inserting steel during molding the model specimen.Then all the pre-fissured rock-like specimens were tested under uniaxial compression by a rock mechanics servocontrolled testing system. The peak strength and Young＇s modulus of pre-fissured specimen all first decreased and then increased when the fissure angle increased from 0？to 75？.In order to investigate the crack initiation, propagation and coalescence process, photographic monitoring was adopted to capture images during the entire deformation process.Moreover, acoustic emission（AE） monitoring technique was also used to obtain the AE evolution characteristic of prefissured specimen. The relationship between axial stress, AE events, and the crack coalescence process was set up： when a new crack was initiated or a crack coalescence occurred, thecorresponding axial stress dropped in the axial stress–time curve and a big AE event could be observed simultaneously.Finally, the mechanism of crack propagation under microscopic observation was discussed. These experimental results are expected to increase the understanding of the strength failure behavior and the cracking mechanism of rock containing unparallel fissures.

Failure characteristics and its influencing factors of rock-like material with multi-fissures under uniaxial compression

The compression test on rock-like specimens with prefabricated closed multi-fissures made by pulling out the embedded metal inserts in the precured period was done on the servo control uniaxial loading instrument. The influence of fissure inclination angle and distribution density on the failure characteristics of fissure bodies was researched. It was found that, the fissure inclination angle was the major influencing factor on the failure modes of fissure bodies. The different developmental states of micro-cracks would appear on specimens under different fissure inclination angles. However, the influence of fissure distribution density on the failure mode of fissure bodies was achieved by influencing the transfixion pattern of fissures. It was shown by the sliding crack model that, the effective shear, which drove the relative sliding of the fissure, was a function of fissure inclination angle and friction coefficient of the fissure surface. The strain-softening model of fissure bodies was established based on the mechanical parameters that were obtained by the test of rock-like materials under the same experimental condition. And the reliability of experimental results was identified by using this model.

Hydrogeochemical Characterization of Groundwater from Fissured Aquifers in the Angovia Mine Operating Permit Area (Central-West Côte d’Ivoire)

The main objective of this study is to determine the hydrogeochemical specificities of the groundwater of the Angovia mine operating permit, located in the Yaouré mountains in the center-west of Côte d’Ivoire. To do so, descriptive and multivariate statistical analysis methods with the SOM (Self Organizing Maps) algorithm were applied to the physicochemical parameters of 17 boreholes using the calcite (ISC) and dolomite (ISD) saturation indices. The results obtained have shown that the groundwater in the Angovia mine operating permit area has an average temperature of 27.52°C (long rainy season) and 27.87&degC (long dry season) and has an average pH of 7.09 ± 0.35 during the main rainy season and 7.32 ± 0.35 during the main dry season. They are mineralized with an average electrical conductivity of 505.98 ± 302.85 μS/cm during the long rainy season and with 450.33 ± 233.74 μS/cm as average during the long dry season. The main phenomena at the origin of groundwater mineralization are water residence time, oxidation-reduction and surface inflow. The study of the relative age of the water shows that the groundwater in the Angovia mine operating permit area is mainly undersaturated with respect to calcite and dolomite. They are therefore very old in the aquifer with a slow circulation speed during the long rainy season and the long dry season.

Evolution mechanism and treatment timing of penetrating fissures

The Inner Mongolia mining area in western China are characterized by the development of numerous penetrating fissures,resulting in severe land damage.It is significant to reveal the underlying evolution mechanism and identify treatment timing for restoring the ecological environment.The Guanbanwusu mining subsidence area in Inner Mongolia,China was selected as the research case for this study.The evolution mechanism of different penetrating fissures was revealed by field measurement,physical simulation and theoretical analysis.The treatment timing prediction model for the mining subsidence area was established based on the enhanced Weibull time function.The results show that the ground fissures are mainly step-type and collapse-type fissures.The breaking form of overlying strata determines their vertical opening and horizontal dislocation.The high mining intensity in the western mining area results in a shortened period of dynamic fissure expansion and reduced closure degree.The damage extent of the overlying strata exhibits zoning characteristics both vertically and horizontally.The relative standard deviation of the prediction model is only 3.7%.Concurrently,the prediction model is employed to determine the optimal timing for treatment in the study area,estimated to be 259 days.Subsequently,once this threshold is reached,the study area undergoes treatment and restoration of its e cological environment.This study addresses the knowledge gap in this field by highlighting the interconnectedness between rock strata structure and evolution mechanism of penetrating fissures,thereby providing a method for determining the treatment timing in mining subsidence areas.

Crack mechanism of ground fissures in loess layer of Fenwei Basin, China

The Fenwei Basin, covered by loess, experiences severe ground fissure disasters. These disasters disrupt the continuity of the loess and pose significant threats to engineering construction safety along transportation routes. Nevertheless, the crack characteristics and the influence zone of ground fissures in the loess layer remain inadequately investigated. To effectively prevent and control ground fissure disasters, physical model tests and the PFC(particle flow code) numerical simulation method are used to investigate the crack mechanism of buried ground fissures in the loess layer. The results show that there are two main cracks in the layer profile, which have a Y-shape morphology. As the dip angle of the preset cracks increased from 60° to 90°, the main deformation zone at the surface gradually shifted towards the footwall. The process of crack propagation from depth to surface is divided into five stages. Additionally, the results confirm the accuracy of the width of the rupture zone d2in the footwall calculated by the cantilever beam theory. These findings can offer theoretical guidance for determining the avoidance distance of ground fissures in loess regions, as well as for implementing disaster prevention and corresponding control measures for various stages of buried ground fissure propagation.

Heat transfer and temperature evolution in underground mininginduced overburden fracture and ground fissures: Optimal time window of UAV infrared monitoring

Heat transfer and temperature evolution in overburden fracture and ground fissures are one of the essential topics for the identification of ground fissures via unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV) infrared imager. In this study, discrete element software UDEC was employed to investigate the overburden fracture field under different mining conditions. Multiphysics software COMSOL were employed to investigate heat transfer and temperature evolution of overburden fracture and ground fissures under the influence of mining condition, fissure depth, fissure width, and month alternation. The UAV infrared field measurements also provided a calibration for numerical simulation. The results showed that for ground fissures connected to underground goaf(Fissure Ⅰ), the temperature difference increased with larger mining height and shallow buried depth. In addition, Fissure Ⅰ located in the boundary of the goaf have a greater temperature difference and is easier to be identified than fissures located above the mining goaf. For ground fissures having no connection to underground goaf(Fissure Ⅱ), the heat transfer is affected by the internal resistance of the overlying strata fracture when the depth of Fissure Ⅱ is greater than10 m, the temperature of Fissure Ⅱ gradually equals to the ground temperature as the fissures’ depth increases, and the fissures are difficult to be identified. The identification effect is most obvious for fissures larger than 16 cm under the same depth. In spring and summer, UAV infrared identification of mining fissures should be carried out during nighttime. This study provides the basis for the optimal time and season for the UAV infrared identification of different types of mining ground fissures.

Performances of fissured red sandstone after thermal treatment with constant-amplitude and low-cycle impacts

In the engineering practices,it is increasingly common to encounter fractured rocks perturbed by temperatures and frequent dynamic loads.In this paper,the dynamic behaviors and fracture characteristics of red sandstone considering temperatures(25℃,200℃,400℃,600℃,and 800℃)and fissure angles(0°,30°,60°,and 90°)were evaluated under constant-amplitude and low-cycle(CALC)impacts actuated by a modified split Hopkinson pressure bar(SHPB)system.Subsequently,fracture morphology and second-order statistics within the grey-level co-occurrence matrix(GLCM)were examined using scanning electron microscopy(SEM).Meanwhile,the deep analysis and discussion of the mechanical response were conducted through the synchronous thermal analyzer(STA)test,numerical simulations,one-dimensional stress wave theory,and material structure.The multiple regression models between response variables and interactive effects of independent variables were established using the response surface method(RSM).The results demonstrate the fatigue strength and life diminish as temperatures rise and increase with increasing fissure angles,while the strain rate exhibits an inverse behavior.Furthermore,the peak stress intensification and strain rate softening observed during CALC impact exhibit greater prominence at increased fissure angles.The failure is dominated by tensile damage with concise evolution paths and intergranular cracks as well as the compressor-crushed zone which may affect the failure mode after 400℃.The second-order statistics of GLCM in SEM images exhibit a considerable dependence on the temperatures.Also,thermal damage dominated by thermal properties controls the material structure and wave impedance and eventually affects the incident wave intensity.The tensile wave reflected from the fissure surface is the inherent mechanism responsible for the angle effect exhibited by the fatigue strength and life.Ultimately,the peak stress intensification and strain rate softening during impact are determined by both the material structure and compaction governed by thermal damage and tensile wave.

Retrospective Cohort Study Laparoscopic anatomical SVIII resection via middle hepatic fissure approach:Caudal or cranio side

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic hepatectomy is a proven safe and technically feasible approach for liver tumor resection,but laparoscopic anatomical SVIII resection(LASVIIIR)remains rarely reported due to poor accessibility,difficult exposure,and the deep-lying Glissonean pedicle.This study examined the safety,feasibility,and perio-perative outcomes of LASVIIIR via a middle hepatic fissure approach at our in-stitution.AIM To investigate the safety,feasibility,and perioperative outcomes of LASVIIIR via a middle hepatic fissure approach at our institution.METHODS From November 2017 to December 2022,all patients with a liver tumor who underwent LASVIIIR were enrolled.The perioperative outcomes and postope-rative complications were evaluated.RESULTS Thirty-four patients underwent LASVIIIR via a middle hepatic fissure approach from the side or cranio side and were included.The mean operation time was 164±54 minutes,and the intra-operative blood loss was 100 mL(range:20-1000 mL).The mean operative times were,respectively,152±50 minutes and 222±29 minutes(P=0.001)for the caudal side and cranial side approaches.In addition,the median blood loss volumes were 100 mL(range:20-300 mL)and 250 mL(range:20-1000 mL),respectively,for the caudal and cranial sides(P=0.064).Three patients treated using the cranial side approach experienced bile leakage,while 1 patient treated using the caudal side approach had subphrenic collection and underwent percutaneous drainage to successfully recover.There were no differences regarding postoperative hospital stays for the caudal and cranial side approaches[9(7-26)days vs 8(8-19)days](P=0.226).CONCLUSION LASVIIIR resection remains a challenging operation,but the middle hepatic fissure approach is a reasonable and easy-to-implement technique.

Morphological characteristics of rock fissure networks and the main factors affecting their soil nutrients and enzyme activities in Guizhou Province,China

Rock fissures constitute the main habitat type in the karst rocky desertification(KRD)area,but the effects of their network morphology on soil properties remain unknown.To address this,we investigated 46 rock vertical profile plots in Guizhou Province of China and classified their habitats using the morphological characteristics of their fissure networks.The response characteristics of soil nutrients and enzyme activities to the rock fissure morphologies in different rock habitats were discussed,and the main factors affecting soil nutrients and enzyme activities were comprehensively analyzed.Rock fissure networks were divided into three types:Type 1,a random type,with a low dip angle,long trace length,multiple turns,multiple connections,and high density;Type 2,a uniform type,with a moderate dip angle,moderate trace length,fewer turns,fewer connections,and moderate density;and Type 3,an aggregation type,with a high dip angle,short trace length,fewer turns,moderate connections,and low density.Soil nutrient levels and enzyme activities were the highest in Type 1,followed by Types 2 and 3.There were no significant differences between the total phosphorus and available phosphorus content in Types 1-3.The dip angle,fractal dimension,and average trace length were identified as the main factors affecting soil nutrients and enzyme activities,and Type 1 was the most conducive for soil nutrient and enzyme accumulation.The restoration of Type 2 and 3 areas should be emphasized in future research,as these results will help guide vegetation restoration in KRD areas.

Effect of fissure water on mechanical characteristics of rock mass

In view of the effect of fissure water in fractured rock mass on the strength of rock mass in engineering projects, we pre-pared specimens of cement mortar to simulate saturated rock mass with continuous fractures of different slope angles. By exerting static and dynamic loads on the specimens, the mechanical characteristics of rock mass with fissure water under these loads can be analyzed. Our experimental results indicate that the static compressive strength of saturated fractured rock mass is related to the slope angle. The lowest compressive strength of fractured rock mass occurs when the slope angle is 45°, while the highest strength occurs when the specimen has no fractures. Fissure water can weaken the strength of rock mass. The softening coefficient does not vary with the slope angle and type of load. The hydrodynamic pressure of fractured rock mass gradually increases with an increase in dynamic load. For a 0° slope angle, the hydrodynamic pressure reaches its highest level. When the slope angle is 90°, the hydro-dynamic pressure is the lowest.

A Migration Model of Radionuclides in Fissured Rock

ＡＭｉｇｒａｔｉｏｎＭｏｄｅｌｏｆＲａｄｉｏｎｕｃｌｉｄｅｓｉｎＦｉｓｓｕｒｅｄＲｏｃｋＢｙＸｉｅＹｕｎｍｉａｎ；ＺｈａｎｇＹｏｎｇｘｉｎｇ；ＸｉｕＢｉｎｇｌｉｎ，ＹａｎｇＴｉａｎｇｘｉｎｇ；ＷａｎｇＹｕｎｇｕｏａｎｄＹａｏＬｅｉｈｕａＣｈｉｎａＩｎ...

Correlation between the rock mass properties and maximum horizontal stress:A case study of overcoring stress measurements

Understanding the mechanical properties of the lithologies is crucial to accurately determine the horizontal stress magnitude.To investigate the correlation between the rock mass properties and maximum horizontal stress,the three-dimensional(3D)stress tensors at 89 measuring points determined using an improved overcoring technique in nine mines in China were adopted,a newly defined characteristic parameter C_(ERP)was proposed as an indicator for evaluating the structural properties of rock masses,and a fuzzy relation matrix was established using the information distribution method.The results indicate that both the vertical stress and horizontal stress exhibit a good linear growth relationship with depth.There is no remarkable correlation between the elastic modulus,Poisson's ratio and depth,and the distribution of data points is scattered and messy.Moreover,there is no obvious relationship between the rock quality designation(RQD)and depth.The maximum horizontal stress σ_(H) is a function of rock properties,showing a certain linear relationship with the C_(ERP)at the same depth.In addition,the overall change trend of σ_(H) determined by the established fuzzy identification method is to increase with the increase of C_(ERP).The fuzzy identification method also demonstrates a relatively detailed local relationship betweenσ_H and C_(ERP),and the predicted curve rises in a fluctuating way,which is in accord well with the measured stress data.