Failure behavior and strength model of blocky rock mass with and without rockbolts

To better understand the failure behaviours and strength of bolt-reinforced blocky rocks,large scale extensive laboratory experiments are carried out on blocky rock-like specimens with and without rockbolt reinforcement.The results show that both shear failure and tensile failure along joint surfaces are observed but the shear failure is a main controlling factor for the peak strength of the rock mass with and without rockbolts.The rockbolts are necked and shear deformation simultaneously happens in bolt reinforced rock specimens.As the joint dip angle increases,the joint shear failure becomes more dominant.The number of rockbolts has a significant impact on the peak strain and uniaxial compressive strength(UCS),but little influence on the deformation modulus of the rock mass.Using the Winkler beam model to represent the rockbolt behaviours,an analytical model for the prediction of the strength of boltreinforced blocky rocks is proposed.Good agreement between the UCS values predicted by proposed model and obtained from experiments suggest an encouraging performance of the proposed model.In addition,the performance of the proposed model is further assessed using published results in the literature,indicating the proposed model can be used effectively in the prediction of UCS of bolt-reinforced blocky rocks.

Strength characteristics of rock anchored by NPR bolt with different preloads

This study compares the strength characteristics of rocks anchored by NPR bolts and ordinary bolts with varied preloads,based on the mechanical properties of NPR bolts(with a negative Poisson’s ratio).The results show that the uniaxial compressive stress-strain curve of ordinary anchored rocks exhibits noticeable abrupt changes.After reaching peak strength,the bolt breaks,whereas the stress-strain curve of NPR-anchored rocks is smoother.The NPR bolt enters the stage of continuous resistance after reaching maximal strength and does not break.As the preload increases,the strength of the anchored rock grows linearly.A calculation equation for the strength of the anchored rock is proposed based on the preload.The theoretical equation fits the test results well,and the fitted parameters show that NPR bolts can better increase the strength of the rock.The concept of dynamic toughness UC of anchored rock is proposed to reflect the comprehensive mechanical properties of anchored rock,including strength and plasticity.As the preload increases,the UC of ordinary anchored rock first decreases and then increases,while the UC of the NPR anchored rock does not change significantly with the preload when the strain is small,and the UC increases with the increase of the preload when the strain is large.

Strength weakening effect of high static pre-stressed granite subjected to low-frequency dynamic disturbance under uniaxial compression

This study aimed to elucidate the strength weakening effect of high static pre-stressed rocks subjected to low-frequency disturbances under uniaxial compression.Based on the uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)of granite under static loading,70%,80%,and 90%of UCS were selected as the initial high static pre-stress(σ_(p)),and then the pre-stressed rock specimens were disturbed by sinusoidal stress with amplitudes of 30%,20%,and 10%of UCS under low-frequency frequencies(f)of 1,2,5,and 10 Hz,respectively.The results show that the rockburst failure of pre-stressed granite is caused by low-frequency disturbance,and the failure strength is much lower than UCS.When theσp or f is constant,the specimen strength gradually decreases as the f or σ_(p) increases.The experimental study illustrates the influence mechanism of the strength weakening effect of high static pre-stress rocks under low-frequency dynamic disturbance,that is,high static pre-stress is the premise and leading factor of rock strength weakening,while low-frequency dynamic disturbance induces rock failure and affects the strength weakening degree.

Meso-damage evolution and mechanical characteristics of low-porosity sedimentary rocks under uniaxial compression

Low pore sedimentary rocks(from Guangxi, China) were subjected to uniaxial compression loading experiment under different initial stresses. The rock samples were investigated by nuclear magnetic resonance before and after the loading. The relationships between the mesoscopic rock damage and macroscopic mechanical parameters were established, and the initial damage stress of the low-porosity sedimentary rock was determined. The results showed that this type of rock has the initial stress of damage. When the initial loading stress is lower than the initial stress of damage, the T2 spectrum area of the rock sample gradually decreases, and the primary pores of the rock are further closed under the stress. The range of the initial stress of damage for this type of rock is 8-16 MPa. When the loading stress exceeds the initial stress of damage, the T2 spectrum area gradually increases, indicating that the porosity of the rock increases and microscopic damage of the rock appears. The rock damage degree is defined, and the nonlinear function between the rock damage degree and the initial loading stress is established.

Estimating uniaxial compressive strength of rocks using genetic expression programming

The aim of this paper is to estimate the uniaxial compressive strength（UCS） of rocks with different characteristics by using genetic expression programming（GEP）.For this purpose,five different types of rocks including basalt and ignimbrite（black,yellow,gray,brown） were prepared.Values of unit weight,water absorption by weight,effective porosity and UCS of rocks were determined experimentally.By using these experimental data,five different GEP models were developed for estimating the values of UCS for different rock types.Good agreement between experimental data and predicted results is obtained.

Estimate of Uniaxial Compressive Strength of Hydrothermally Altered Soft Rocks Based on Strength Index Tests

The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationships between results of index tests and uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) in hydrothermally altered soft rocks of the Upper Miocene, which are typical of the soft rock found in northeastern Hokkaido, Japan. Index tests were performed using point load testing machine and needle penetrometer with irregular lump specimens under forced-dry, forced-wet, and natural-moist states. The relationships between irregular lump point load strength (IPLS) index and UCS, and needle penetration (NP) index and UCS were “UCS = approximately 19 IPLS index” and “UCS = 0.848 (NP index)0.619”, respectively, in soft rocks with a UCS below 25 MPa. These relationships could be applied to on-site tests of rocks with natural moisture content. The UCS could be calculated from IPLS and NP tests on soft rocks only when UCS was below 25 MPa, using the equations obtained as a result of this study.

Strength of massive to moderately jointed hard rock masses

The Hoek-Brown (HB) failure criterion and the geological strength index (GSI) were developed for the estimation of rock mass strength in jointed and blocky ground where rock mass failure is dominated by sliding along open joints and rotation of rock blocks. In massive, veined and moderately jointed rock in which rock blocks cannot form without failure of intact rock, the approach to obtain HB parameters must be modified. Typical situations when these modifications are required include the design of pillars, excavation and cavern stability, strainburst potential assessment, and tunnel support in deep underground conditions (around σ1/σci > 0.15, where σ1 is the major principal compressive stress and σci is the unconfined compressive strength of the homogeneous rock) in hard brittle rocks with GSI ≥ 65. In this article, the strength of massive to moderately jointed hard rock masses is investigated, and an approach is presented to estimate the rock mass strength envelope using laboratory data from uniaxial and triaxial compressive strength tests without reliance on the HB-GSI equations. The data from tests on specimens obtained from massive to moderately jointed heterogeneous (veined) rock masses are used to obtain the rock and rock mass strengths at confining stress ranges that are relevant for deep tunnelling and mining;and a methodology is presented for this purpose from laboratory data alone. By directly obtaining the equivalent HB rock mass strength envelope for massive to moderately jointed rock from laboratory tests, the HB-GSI rock mass strength estimation approach is complemented for conditions where the GSIequations are not applicable. Guidance is also provided on how to apply the proposed approach when laboratory test data are not or not yet available.

Selection of regression models for predicting strength and deformability properties of rocks using GA

Recently,many regression models have been presented for prediction of mechanical parameters of rocks regarding to rock index properties.Although statistical analysis is a common method for developing regression models,but still selection of suitable transformation of the independent variables in a regression model is diffcult.In this paper,a genetic algorithm(GA)has been employed as a heuristic search method for selection of best transformation of the independent variables(some index properties of rocks)in regression models for prediction of uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)and modulus of elasticity(E).Firstly,multiple linear regression(MLR)analysis was performed on a data set to establish predictive models.Then,two GA models were developed in which root mean squared error(RMSE)was defned as ftness function.Results have shown that GA models are more precise than MLR models and are able to explain the relation between the intrinsic strength/elasticity properties and index properties of rocks by simple formulation and accepted accuracy.

Predicting uniaxial compressive strength of serpentinites through physical,dynamic and mechanical properties using neural networks

The uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)of intact rock is one of the most important parameters required and determined for rock mechanics studies in engineering projects.The limitations and difficulty of conducting tests on rocks,specifically on thinly bedded,highly fractured,highly porous and weak rocks,as well as the fact that these tests are destructive,expensive and time-consuming,lead to development of soft computing-based techniques.Application of artificial neural networks(ANNs)for predicting UCS has become an attractive alternative for geotechnical engineering scientists.In this study,an ANN was designed with the aim of indirectly predicting UCS through the serpentinization percentage,and physical,dynamic and mechanical characteristics of serpentinites.For this purpose,data obtained in earlier experimental work from central Greece were used.The ANN-based results were compared with the experimental ones and those obtained from previous analysis.The proposed ANN-based formula was found to be very efficient in predicting UCS values and the samples could be classified with simple physical,dynamic and mechanical tests,thus the expensive,difficult,time-consuming and destructive mechanical tests could be avoided.

Rock strength interval analysis using theory of testing blind data and interval estimation

The concepts of rock strength intervals are presented in this work, furthermore, central values of intervals and their corresponding credibility are provided using two-case study based on blind data theory and fuzzy interval estimation. 60 granite specimens are first tested, the compressive strength interval and tensile strength interval are [ 103.68, 219.6 l ] and [7.53, 11,86] MPa, while the tested mean values of compressive strength and tensile strength are 152.86 and 10.14 MPa, the credibilities are less than 58.4% and around 70.4%, respectively, the credibility of shear strength is between 40% and 60%. Then 70 other rock specimens are designed and tested, the similar conclusions can be reached. The results show that the conventional definite values are the particular values within the intervals, and the credibility of them often fails to reach the high-precision engineering requirement. The results demonstrate the feasibility and application potential of this proposed algorithm for the engineering practice. The references for engineering value selection of rock strength under different credibility or according to frequency distribution of central values are provided to increase the reliability and precision of calculation.

Statistical analysis of physico-mechanical parameters of sandstones occurring in orogenic settings

In northeastern Sicily(Italy),sandstone rock masses widely crop out as cover deposits over crystalline terrains belonging to the orogenic belt.Despite being part of the same geological formation,these sandstones are characterized by highly different features in terms of texture and physico-mechanical properties.This poses a scientific question on the possibility of tracing these rocks to a single statistical model,which could be representative of their main engineering geological properties.Therefore,it is worth investigating on the possible reasons of such differences,that should be searched either in the current geographical sandstone distribution or in the rock texture.For this study,sandstone samples were collected from different sites and were analyzed at both the hand and thin section scales.Three sandstone types were recognized,characterized by a different texture.Then,the laboratory characterization allowed estimating their main physico-mechanical and ultrasonic properties,such as porosity,density,mechanical strength,deformability,and ultrasonic velocities.The rock mechanical strength proved linked to the rock compactness and to the presence of lithic fragments,while pores and a pseudo-matrix between grains represent weakening features.Rock data were also statistically analyzed by grouping the specimens according to a geographical criterion,with respect to their sampling area,but no link was found between location and rock properties.Finally,with the aim of achieving mathematical laws that could be used to predict some rock properties from others,useful for practical purposes when dealing with such a high property variability,single and multiple regression analyses were carried out.Results show that the Uniaxial Compressive Strength,porosity,and P-wave velocity are the best predictors for a quick,indirect estimation of the main physico-mechanical parameters.The methodological approach developed for this research can be taken as reference to study other worldwide cases,involving rocks characterized by a wide range of physico-mechanical properties and covering large regional territories.

Failure criterion for soft rocks considering intermediate principal stress

The significant differences between hard rocks(more brittle)and soft rocks(more ductile)may suggest the use of different failure criteria.A strength criterion for soft rocks that includes intermediate principal stress was proposed.The new criterion includes two independent parameters:the uniaxial compressive strength(σ_(ci)),which can be obtained from common laboratory tests or indirectly estimated by alternative index tests in the laboratory or field;and f(joint),which is used to characterize the rock mass quality and can be easily estimated.The authors compared the predictive capabilities of the new criterion with other criteria using the database of soft rocks under two conditions:with and without triaxial data.For the estimation of triaxial and true-triaxial strengths,the new criterion generally produced a better fit.The proposed criterion is practical for an approximate first estimation of rock mass strength,even without triaxial data,as it balances accuracy(lower prediction error)and simplicity(fewer independent parameters).

Discussion on“Empirical methods for determining shaft bearing capacity of semi-deep foundations socketed in rocks”[J Rock Mech Geotech Eng 6(2017)1140-151]

A new comprehensive set of data（n = 178） is compiled by adding a data set（n = 72） collected by Arioglu et al.（2007） to the data set（n = 106） presented in Rezazadeh and Eslami（2017）. Then, the compiled data set is evaluated regardless of the variation in lithology/strength. The proposed empirical equation in this study comprises a wider range of uniaxial compressive strength（UCS）（0.15 MPa 〈 σ_（rc） 〈156 MPa） and various rock types. Rock mass cuttability index（RMCI） is correlated with shaft resistance（r_s） to predict the shaft resistance of rock-socketed piles. The prediction capacity of the RMCI versus r_s equation is also found to be in a fair good agreement with the presented data in Rezazadeh and Eslami（2017）. Since the RMCI is a promising parameter in the prediction of shaft resistance, the researchers in the rock-socketed pile design area should consider this parameter in the further investigations.

Dynamic failure of dry and fully saturated limestone samples based on incubation time concept

This paper outlines the results of experimental study of the dynamic rock failure based on the comparison of dry and saturated limestone samples obtained during the dynamic compression and split tests. The tests were performed using the Kolsky method and its modifications for dynamic splitting. The mechanical data(e.g. strength, time and energy characteristics) of this material at high strain rates are obtained. It is shown that these characteristics are sensitive to the strain rate. A unified interpretation of these rate effects, based on the structuraletemporal approach, is hereby presented. It is demonstrated that the temporal dependence of the dynamic compressive and split tensile strengths of dry and saturated limestone samples can be predicted by the incubation time criterion. Previously discovered possibilities to optimize(minimize) the energy input for the failure process is discussed in connection with industrial rock failure processes. It is shown that the optimal energy input value associated with critical load, which is required to initialize failure in the rock media, strongly depends on the incubation time and the impact duration. The optimal load shapes, which minimize the momentum for a single failure impact, are demonstrated. Through this investigation, a possible approach to reduce the specific energy required for rock cutting by means of high-frequency vibrations is also discussed.

Sources of variability in laboratory rock test results

Appropriate rock characterization is beneficial in providing a reliable judgment on rock properties which is crucial for the design process of rock engineering applications.However,it can be difficult to obtain consistent mechanical parameters due to substantial variations in rock properties.In this research,uniaxial compression tests on dolerite specimens collected from a gold mine in Western Australia showed substantial scatter in the results.Rock categorization based on the P-wave velocities is as accurate as the thin section analysis,which suggests that they can be used together to gain a more accurate initial understanding of the rock types before any laboratory testing.The quality of specimen preparation and rockemachine interaction greatly affect the test results.For instance,non-parallelness of loading platens can lead to considerable scatter of the testing results,which would be perceived as rock variability.It is suggested that the current testing standards should be modified towards a better control of the loading machine performance and equipment precision.Finally,the possibility of pre-existing microcracks in rock,neither detected by the thin section analysis nor by the ultrasonic measurement,must be examined by computed tomography(CT)scanning as they can affect the test results.This study will enhance our knowledge about the sources of variability in laboratory test results of rock which is essential for obtaining reliable data.

Rock Strength Estimation Using Several Tree-Based ML Techniques

The uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)of rock is an essential property of rock material in different relevant applications,such as rock slope,tunnel construction,and foundation.It takes enormous time and effort to obtain the UCS values directly in the laboratory.Accordingly,an indirect determination of UCS through conducting several rock index tests that are easy and fast to carry out is of interest and importance.This study presents powerful boosting trees evaluation framework,i.e.,adaptive boosting machine,extreme gradient boosting machine(XGBoost),and category gradient boosting machine,for estimating the UCS of sandstone.Schmidt hammer rebound number,P-wave velocity,and point load index were chosen as considered factors to forecast UCS values of sandstone samples.Taylor diagrams and five regression metrics,including coefficient of determination(R2),root mean square error,mean absolute error,variance account for,and A-20 index,were used to evaluate and compare the performance of these boosting trees.The results showed that the proposed boosting trees are able to provide a high level of prediction capacity for the prepared database.In particular,itwas worth noting that XGBoost is the best model to predict sandstone strength and it achieved 0.999 training R^(2) and 0.958 testing R^(2).The proposed model had more outstanding capability than neural network with optimization techniques during training and testing phases.The performed variable importance analysis reveals that the point load index has a significant influence on predicting UCS of sandstone.

Strength prediction model for water-bearing sandstone based on nearinfrared spectroscopy

The strength of water-bearing rock cannot be obtained in real time and by nondestructive experiments,which is an issue at cultural relics protection sites such as grotto temples.To solve this problem,we conducted a near-infrared spectrum acquisition experiment in the field and laboratory uniaxial compression strength tests on sandstone that had different water saturation levels.The correlations between the peak height and peak area of the nearinfrared absorption bands of the water-bearing sandstone and uniaxial compressive strength were analyzed.On this basis,a strength prediction model for water-bearing sandstone was established using the long short-term memory full convolutional network(LSTM-FCN)method.Subsequently,a field engineering test was carried out.The results showed that:(1)The sandstone samples had four distinct characteristic absorption peaks at 1400,1900,2200,and 2325 nm.The peak height and peak area of the absorption bands near 1400 nm and 1900 nm had a negative correlation with uniaxial compressive strength.The peak height and peak area of the absorption bands near 2200 nm and 2325 nm had nonlinear positive correlations with uniaxial compressive strength.(2)The LSTM-FCN method was used to establish a strength prediction model for water-bearing sandstone based on near-infrared spectroscopy,and the model achieved an accuracy of up to 97.52%.(3)The prediction model was used to realize non-destructive,quantitative,and real-time determination of uniaxial compressive strength;this represents a new method for the non-destructive testing of grotto rock mass at sites of cultural relics protection.

尺寸效应对岩石单轴压缩试验影响研究

为探究尺寸效应对小尺寸岩样单轴压缩试验的影响规律,通过在室内伺服试验机上对直径25 mm,不同长度的花岗岩岩样进行单轴压缩试验,研究尺寸效应对小尺寸花岗岩岩石力学参数以及破坏形式的影响规律。试验结果表明,随着长径比增加,岩样表现出抗压强度和泊松比逐渐减小,弹性模量增加的趋势。其中,多项式模型较为适合小尺寸岩样尺寸效应强度模型;不同长径比岩样的单轴压缩试验应力应变曲线加载趋势不同,其峰值应变随着长径比的增加而减小;随着长径比的增加,岩石破坏形式从脆性剪切破坏转变为剪切破坏,最后逐步变为脆性破坏,岩样破坏面数量与角度出现规律性变化。当长径比在1.1~2.2时,岩样破坏形式遵循相同的破坏准则,通过拟合公式推导不同长径比岩样的力学参数存在可行性;岩石单轴试验破坏过程中的能量与长径比呈负相关,且当长径比在1.9~2.2时,各能量变化幅度趋于平缓,岩样破坏形式较为统一,其强度在数值上表现的差异性较小,可作为小尺寸岩样单轴试验的最佳长径比。

不同加载速率下煤单轴抗压强度测试与冲击倾向性影响分析

针对冲击倾向性测试中煤样单轴抗压强度数据随加载速率变化和离散性问题,以内蒙古鄂托克前旗长城六号煤矿3号煤为研究背景,通过设置0.50、0.75、1.00 MPa/s三种不同加载速率进行煤样标准件的分组测试。测试结果表明,3种不同加载速率测试得到煤的单轴抗压强度测试值均存在离散性;加载速率与单轴抗压强度测试值无明显线性关系;在舍去每组离散性较大的最大值和最小值后,再次计算在不同加载速率条件下煤单轴抗压强度的平均值和标准差,可以得到离散性相对较小的测试值;煤样单轴抗压强度测试值与加载速率无明显比例关系,加载速率的变化可导致同煤层冲击倾向性等级的变化。

多峰分布的岩石单轴饱和抗压强度统计分析方法及应用

越南某火力发电厂下伏中等风化岩石单轴饱和抗压强度fr呈现多峰分布,极差大、离散性大,正态分布假设下的统计量与实际情况存在偏差。笔者以fr样本分位数为切入点,探讨fr水平、垂直分布规律以及统计成果应用。结果表明:fr在水平方向的分布与地层沉积韵律、层厚、层面倾角等直接相关,fr在垂直方向的分布与取样深度无明显相关性;基于各钻探回次的fr样本分位数,可通过贝叶斯公式及全概率公式估算钻进成功率,可用于钻进工艺选择以及风险评估;通过线性规划模型可得到钻进工艺配置的最优方案。该统计分析方法对样本分布特性无特殊要求,易于实现,具有一定的工程应用价值。