State-of-the-art on the anchorage performance of rock bolts subjected to shear load

Rock bolts are extensively utilized in underground engineering as a means of offering support and stability to rock masses in tunnels,mines,and other underground structures.In environments of high ground stress,faults or weak zones can frequently arise in rock formations,presenting a significant challenge for engineering and potentially leading to underground engineering collapse.Rock bolts serve as a crucial structural element for the transmission of tensile stress and are capable of withstanding shear loads to prevent sliding of weak zones within rock mass.Therefore,a complete understanding of the behavior of rock bolts subjected to shear loads is essential.This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of the research progress of rock bolts subjected to shear load in three categories:experiment,numerical simulation,and analytical model.The review focuses on the research studies and developments in this area since the 1970s,providing a comprehensive overview of numerous factors that influence the anchorage performance of rock bolts.These factors include the diameter and angle of the rock bolt installation,rock strength,grouting material,bolt material,borehole diameter,rock bolt preload,normal stress,joint surface roughness and joint expansion angle.The paper reviews the improvement of mechanical parameter setting in numerical simulation of rock bolt shear.Furthermore,it delves into the optimization of the analytical model concerning rock bolt shear theory,approached from the perspectives of both Elastic foundation beam theory coupled with Elastoplasticity theory and Structural mechanic methods.The significance of this review lies in its ability to provide insights into the mechanical behavior of rock bolts.The paper also highlights the limitations of current research and guidelines for further research of rock bolts.

Mechanical behavior and failure mechanisms of rock bolts subjected to static-dynamic loads

This study explores the effects of dynamic and static loading on rock bolt performance a key factor in maintaining the structural safety of coal mine roadways susceptible to coal bursts.Employing a housemade load frame to simulate various failure scenarios,pretension-impact-pull tests on rock bolts were conducted to scrutinize their dynamic responses under varied static load conditions and their failure traits under combined loads.The experimental results denote that with increased impact energy,maximum and average impact loads on rock bolts escalate significantly under pretension,initiating plastic deformation beyond a certain threshold.Despite minor reductions in the yield load due to impactinduced damage,pretension aids in constraining post-impact deformation rate and fluctuation degree of rock bolts.Moreover,impact-induced plastic deformation causes internal microstructure dislocation,fortifying the stiffness of the rock bolt support system.The magnitude of this fortification is directly related to the plastic deformation induced by the impact.These findings provide crucial guidance for designing rock bolt support in coal mine roadway excavation,emphasizing the necessity to consider both static and dynamic loads for improved safety and efficiency.

Failure characterization of fully grouted rock bolts under triaxial testing

Confining stresses serve as a pivotal determinant in shaping the behavior of grouted rock bolts.Nonetheless,prior investigations have oversimplified the three-dimensional stress state,primarily assuming hydrostatic stress conditions.Under these conditions,it is assumed that the intermediate principal stress(σ_(2))equals the minimum principal stress(σ_(3)).This assumption overlooks the potential variations in magnitudes of in situ stress conditions along all three directions near an underground opening where a rock bolt is installed.In this study,a series of push tests was meticulously conducted under triaxial conditions.These tests involved applying non-uniform confining stresses(σ_(2)≠σ_(3))to cubic specimens,aiming to unveil the previously overlooked influence of intermediate principal stresses on the strength properties of rock bolts.The results show that as the confining stresses increase from zero to higher levels,the pre-failure behavior changes from linear to nonlinear forms,resulting in an increase in initial stiffness from 2.08 kN/mm to 32.51 kN/mm.The load-displacement curves further illuminate distinct post-failure behavior at elevated levels of confining stresses,characterized by enhanced stiffness.Notably,the peak load capacity ranged from 27.9 kN to 46.5 kN as confining stresses advanced from σ_(2)=σ_(3)=0 to σ_(2)=20 MPa and σ_(3)=10 MPa.Additionally,the outcomes highlight an influence of confining stress on the lateral deformation of samples.Lower levels of confinement prompt overall dilation in lateral deformation,while higher confinements maintain a state of shrinkage.Furthermore,diverse failure modes have been identified,intricately tied to the arrangement of confining stresses.Lower confinements tend to induce a splitting mode of failure,whereas higher loads bring about a shift towards a pure interfacial shear-off and shear-crushed failure mechanism.

Stability analysis of tunnel face reinforced with face bolts

Face bolting has been widely utilized to enhance the stability of tunnel face,particularly in soft soil tunnels.However,the influence of bolt reinforcement and its layout on tunnel face stability has not been systematically studied.Based on the theory of linear elastic mechanics,this study delved into the specific mechanisms of bolt reinforcement on the tunnel face in both horizontal and vertical dimensions.It also identified the primary failure types of bolts.Additionally,a design approach for tunnel face bolts that incorporates spatial layout was established using the limit equilibrium method to enhance the conventional wedge-prism model.The proposed model was subsequently validated through various means,and the specific influence of relevant bolt design parameters on tunnel face stability was analyzed.Furthermore,design principles for tunnel face bolts under different geological conditions were presented.The findings indicate that bolt failure can be categorized into three stages:tensile failure,pullout failure,and comprehensive failure.Increasing cohesion,internal friction angle,bolt density,and overlap length can effectively enhance tunnel face stability.Due to significant variations in stratum conditions,tailored design approaches based on specific failure stages are necessary for bolt design.

Study on Fracture Delay of High-Strength Bolts in Road Bridge Maintenance

In the maintenance work of highway and bridge engineering structures,the fracture delay of high-strength bolts is a content that needs to be focused on and researched.Based on this,the paper analyzes the fracture delay of high-strength bolts in highway bridge maintenance,including an overview of the fundamental research on fracture delay and related specific studies.It is hoped that this study can provide scientific reference for the reasonable maintenance of high-strength bolts,so as to ensure the overall maintenance effect of highway bridge projects.

Research Review of Principles and Methods for Ultrasonic Measurement of Axial Stress in Bolts

Bolts are important fasteners indispensable in the manufacturing field for their advantages, which include convenient assembly and disassembly, easy maintenance, refastenability to prevent looseness, and the avoidance of a phase change in the connected material composition. The precise control of the tightening force in bolts is closely related to the safety and reliability of the connected equipment or structure. Although there are many methods for estimating the tightening force applied to a bolt during assembly, poor accuracy in controlling the preload during the tightening process and a lack of monitoring to determine the residual axial force in service remain issues in evaluating the safety of bolted assemblies. As a nondestructive testing technology, ultrasonic measurement can be applied to successfully address these issues. In order to help researchers understand the theoretical basis and technological development in this field and to equip them to conduct further in-depth research, in this review, the basic knowledge describing the state of stress and deformation of bolts, as well as conventional testing methods are summarized and analyzed. Then, through a review of recent research of the ultrasonic measurement of the axial stress in bolts, the influence of the e ective stressed length and temperature are analyzed and proposed methods of calibration and compensation are reviewed. In order to avoid coupling errors caused by traditional piezoelectric transducers, two newly proposed ultrasonic coupling technologies, the electromagnetic acoustic transducer(EMAT) and the permanent mounted transducer system(PMTS), are reviewed. Finally, the new direction of research of the detection of residual axial stress in in-service bolts that have been assembled to yield is discussed.

Laboratory pull-out tests on fully grouted rock bolts and cable bolts:Results and lessons learned

Laboratory pull-out tests were conducted on the following rock bolts and cable bolts:steel rebars,smooth steel bars,fiberglass reinforced polymer threaded bolts,flexible cable bolts,IR5/IN special cable bolts and Mini-cage cable bolts.The diameter of the tested bolts was between 16 mm and 26 mm.The bolts were grouted in a sandstone sample using resin or cement grouts.The tests were conducted under either constant radial stiffness or constant confining pressure boundary conditions applied on the outer surface of the rock sample.In most tests,the rate of displacement was about 0.02 mm/s.The tests were performed using a pull-out bench that allows testing a wide range of parameters.This paper provides an extensive database of laboratory pull-out test results and confirms the influence of the confining pressure and the embedment length on the pull-out response(rock bolts and cable bolts).It also highlights the sensitivity of the results to the operating conditions and to the behavior of the sample as a whole,which cannot be neglected when the test results are used to assess the bolt-grout or the grouterock interface.

Numerical and analytical simulation of the structural behaviour of fully grouted cable bolts under impulsive loading

Designing reliable yielding support system to mitigate the effect of the kinetic energy in burst-prone conditions in mining and tunneling excavations is one of the challenges for geotechnical engineers. A combination of the support elements can be used to increase rock strength and minimise the displacement of unstable rock mass. It is important to understand how the support system works to ensure the stability of underground excavations. Cable bolts have been commonly used as an effective underground support system and an element of reinforcement to improve rock stability. Cable bolts are usually considered to be subjected to static loads under relatively low stress environments, however, in burst-prone conditions, they might be subjected to dynamic loads. Cable bolts as well as other support elements are used in burst-prone conditions to absorb the kinetic energy of the removed rock to avoid sudden and violent failures. This paper develops numerical and a novel analytical simulation technique for cable bolts to assess their structural behaviour under static and dynamic loading conditions. The numerical and analytical models are then validated against experimental observations reported in the literature, which demonstrates the reliability of the proposed models.

Mechanical properties and supporting effect of CRLD bolts under static pull test conditions

A device for supporting soft rock masses combined with a constant resistance structure characterized by constant resistance and large deformation at the end of a steel bar, known as the constant resistance and large deformation（CRLD） bolt, has recently been developed to counteract soft rock swelling that often occurs during deep mining. In order to further study the mechanical properties of the CRLD bolt, we investigated its mechanical properties by comparison with the conventional strength bolt（rebar） using static pull tests on many aspects, including supporting capacity, elongation, radial deformation, and energy absorption. The tests verified that the mechanical defects of the rebar, which include the decrease of bolt diameter, reduction of supporting capacity, and emergence and evolution of fracture until failure during the whole pull process, were caused by the Poisson＇s ratio effect. Due to the special structure set on the CRLD bolt, the bolt presents a seemingly unusual phenomenon of the negative Poisson＇s ratio effect, i.e., the diameter of the constant resistance structure increases while under-pulling. It is the very effect that ensures the extraordinary mechanical properties, including high resistance, large elongation, and strong energy absorption. According to the comparison and analysis of numerical simulation and field test, we can conclude that the CRLD bolt works better than the rebar bolt.

Experimental and numerical studies on progressive debonding of grouted rock bolts

Understanding the mechanism of progressive debonding of bolts is of great significance for underground safety.In this paper,both laboratory experiment and numerical simulation of the pull-out tests were performed.The experimental pull-out test specimens were prepared using cement mortar material,and a relationship between the pull-out strength of the bolt and the uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)of cement mortar material specimen was established.The locations of crack developed in the pull-out process were identified using the acoustic emission(AE)technique.The pull-out test was reproduced using 2D Particle Flow Code(PFC^(2D))with calibrated parameters.The experimental results show that the axial displacement of the cement mortar material at the peak load during the test was approximately 5 mm for cement-based grout of all strength.In contrast,the peak load of the bolt increased with the UCS of the confining medium.Under peak load,cracks propagated to less than one half of the anchorage length,indicating a lag between crack propagation and axial bolt load transmission.The simulation results show that the dilatation between the bolt and the rock induced cracks and extended the force field along the anchorage direction;and,it was identified as the major contributing factor for the pull-out failure of rock bolt.

Optimization of the fully grouted rock bolts for load transfer enhancement

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of bolt profile configuration in load transfer capacity between the bolt and grout.Therefore,five types of rock bolts are used with different profiles.The rock bolts are modeled by ANSYS software.Models show that profile rock bolt T_3 and T_ with load capacity 180 and 195 kN in the jointed rocks,are the optimum profiles.Finally,the performances of the selected profiles are examined in Tabas Coal Mine by FLAC software.There is good subscription between the results of numerical modeling and instrumentation reading such as tells tale,sonic extensometer and strain gauge rock bolt.According to the finding of this study,the proposed pattern of rock bolts,on 7 + 6 patterns per meter with 2 flexi bolt(4 m) for support gate road.

Loading characteristics of mechanical rib bolts determined through testing and numerical modeling

Underground coal mines use mechanical bolts in addition to other types of bolts to control the rib deformation and to stabilize the yielded coal ribs.Limited research has been conducted to understand the performance of the mechanical bolts in coal ribs.Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH)conducted this work to understand the loading characteristics of mechanical bolts(stiffness and capacity)installed in coal ribs at five underground coal mines.Standard pull-out tests were performed in this study to define the loading characteristics of mechanical rib bolts.Different installation torques were applied to the tested bolts based on the strength of the coal seam.A typical tri-linear load-deformation response for mechanical bolts was obtained from these tests.It was found that the anchorage capacity depended mainly on the coal strength.Guidelines for modeling mechanical bolts have been developed using the tri-linear load-deformation response.The outcome of this research provides essential data for rib support design.

A Biomechanical Comparison of Conventional versus an Anatomic Plate and Compression Bolts for Fixation of Intra-articular Calcaneal Fractures

The purpose of this study was to compare the biomechanical stability obtained by using our technique featured an anatomical plate and compression bolts versus that of the conventional anatomic plate and cancellous screws in the fixation of intraarticular calcaneal fractures.Eighteen fresh frozen lower limbs of cadavers were used to create a reproductive Sanders type-Ⅲ calcaneal fracture model by using osteotomy.The calcaneus fractures were randomly selected to be fixed either using our anatomical plate and compression bolts or conventional anatomic plate and cancellous screws.Reduction of fracture was evaluated through X radiographs.Each calcaneus was successively loaded at a frequency of 1 Hz for 1000 cycles through the talus using an increasing axial force 20 N to 200 N and 20 N to 700 N,representing the partial weight bearing and full weight bearing,respectively,and then the specimens were loaded to failure.Data extracted from the mechanical testing machine were recorded and used to test for difference in the results with the Wilcoxon signed rank test.No significant difference was found between our fixation technique and conventional technique in displacement during 20-200 N cyclic loading(P=0.06),while the anatomical plate and compression bolts showed a great lower irreversible deformation during 20-700 N cyclic loading(P=0.008).The load achieved at loss of fixation of the constructs for the two groups had significant difference:anatomic plate and compression bolts at 3839.6±152.4 N and anatomic plate and cancellous screws at 3087.3±58.9 N(P=0.008).There was no significant difference between the ultimate displacements.Our technique featured anatomical plate and compression bolts for calcaneus fracture fixation was demonstrated to provide biomechanical stability as good as or better than the conventional anatomic plate and cancellous screws under the axial loading.The study supports the mechanical viability of using our plate and compression bolts for the fixation of calcaneal fracture.

Utilizing a novel fiber optic technology to capture the axial responses of fully grouted rock bolts

Rock bolts are one of the primary support systems utilized in underground excavations within the civil and mining engineering industries. Rock bolts support the weakened rock mass adjacent to the opening of an excavation by fastening to the more stable, undisturbed formations further from the excavation. The overall response of such a support element has been determined under varying loading conditions in the laboratory and in situ experiments in the past four decades; however, due to the limitations with conventional monitoring methods of capturing strain, there still exists a gap in knowledge associated with an understanding of the geomechanical responses of rock bolts at the microscale. In this paper, we try to address this current gap in scientific knowledge by utilizing a newly developed distributed optical strain sensing(DOS) technology that provides an exceptional spatial resolution of 0.65 mm to capture the strain along the rock bolt. This DOS technology utilizes Rayleigh optical frequency domain reflectometry(ROFDR) which provides unprecedented insight into various mechanisms associated with axially loaded rebar specimens of different embedment lengths, grouting materials, borehole annulus conditions, and borehole diameters. The embedment length of the specimens was found to be the factor that significantly affected the loading of the rebar. The critical embedment length for the fully grouted rock bolts(FGRBs) was systematically determined to be430 mm. The results herein highlight the effects of the variation of these individual parameters on the geomechanical responses FGRBs.

A study of the load transfer behavior of fully grouted rock bolts with analytical modelling

Fully grouted rock bolts have been used in mining industry for many years.Much research has been conducted to evaluate the load transfer behavior of fully grouted rock bolts with experimental programs.However,compared with that,less work has been conducted with analytical modelling.Therefore,in this paper,the authors used an analytical model to study the load transfer behavior of fully grouted rock bolts.To confirm the credibility of this analytical model,an in-situ pull-out test was used to validate this model.There was a close match between the experimental result and the analytical result.Following it,a parametric study was conducted with this analytical model.The influence of coefficients,Young’s modulus of the rock bolt and the diameter of the rock bolt on the load transfer performance of rock bolts was studied.Furthermore,the load distribution along the fully grouted rock bolt was analytically studied.The results show that the axial load in the rock bolt decayed from the loaded end to the free end independent of the pull-out load.However,the trend of the load distribution curve was influenced by the pull-out load.This paper was beneficial for better understanding the load transfer mechanism of fully grouted rock bolts.

MMM testing and failure analysis of fastening bolts on reciprocating compressor cylinder cover

To avoid the serious accidents caused by the failure fastening bolts on reciprocating compressor cylinder cover,a new nondestructive testing(NDT) technology,metal magnetic memory(MMM) testing,was applied to safety evaluating and failure analyzing for the fastening bolts.Based on the dynamic stress calculation of the failure bolts,MMM testing was carried out at workshop.Given are the MMM stress distribution characteristics of the failure bolts and fracture faces.It has been found that the MMM signal variation amplitude of the crack transition zone in the fracture surface is minimal,that of the crack initiation zone is in the middle,and that of the tear fracture zone is maximal.The failure reasons were analyzed with MMM effect.The results of the metallographic examination showed that the validity and feasibility of MMM testing and failure analysis.This means MMM technology is a new,fast and validity method of failure analysis.

A new analytical solution for calculation the displacement and shear stress of fully grouted rock bolts and numerical verifications

In presence of difficult conditions in coal mining roadways, an adequate stabilization of the excavation boundary is required to ensure a safe progress of the construction. The stabilization of the roadways can be improved by fully grouted rock bolt, offering properties optimal to the purpose and versatility in use. Investigations of load transfer between the bolt and grout indicate that the bolt profile shape and spacing play an important role in improving the shear strength between the bolt and the surrounding strata. This study proposes a new analytical solution for calculation displacement and shear stress in a fully encapsulated rock bolt in jointed rocks. The main characteristics of the analytical solution consider the bolt profile and jump plane under pull test conditions. The performance of the proposed analytical solution, for three types of different bolt profile configurations, is validated by ANSYS software. The results show there is a good agreement between analytical and numerical methods. Studies indicate that the rate of displacement and shear stress from the bolt to the rock exponentially decayed. This exponential reduction in displacement and shear stress are dependent on the bolt characteristics such as: rib height, rib spacing, rib width and grout thickness, material and joint properties.

A review on the performance of conventional and energy-absorbing rockbolts

This is a review paper on the performances of both conventional and energy-absorbing rockbolts manifested in laboratory tests. Characteristic parameters such as ultimate load, displacement and energy absorption are reported, in addition to load-displacement graphs for every type of rockbolt. Conventional rockbolts refer to mechanical rockbolts, fully-grouted rebars and frictional rockbolts. According to the test results, under static pull loading a mechanical rockbolt usually fails at the plate; a fully-grouted rebar bolt fails in the bolt shank at an ultimate load equal to the strength of the steel after a small amount of displacement; and a frictional rockbolt is subjected to large displacement at a low yield load. Under shear loading, all types of bolts fail in the shank. Energy-absorbing rockbolts are developed aiming to combat instability problems in burst-prone and squeezing rock conditions. They absorb deformation energy either through ploughing/slippage at predefined load levels or through stretching of the steel bolt. An energy-absorbing rockbolt can carry a high load and also accommodate significant rock displacement, and thus its energy-absorbing capacity is high. The test results show that the energy absorption of the energy-absorbing bolts is much larger than that of all conventional bolts. The dynamic load capacity is smaller than the static load capacity for the energy-absorbing bolts displacing based on ploughing/slippage while they are approximately the same for the D-Bolt that displaces based on steel stretching.

Anchoring mechanism and application of hydraulic expansion bolts used in soft rock roadway floor heave control

Comparing with the resin bolt, the hydraulic expansion bolt has different anchoring mechanism and application advantage. According to the working mechanism of the hydraulic expansion bolt, its anchoring force is expressed in four forms including support anchoring force, tension anchoring force, expansion anchoring force and tangent anchoring force, and their values can be obtained on the basis of each calculation formula. Among them, the expansion anchoring force, which is the unique anchoring force of the hydraulic expansion bolt, can provide confining pressure to increase the strength of rock. Aiming at solving the problem of stability control in the soft rock roadway in Jinbaotun Coal Mine which has a double layer of 40 U-type sheds and cannot provide enough resistance support to control floor heave, the study reveals the mechanism of floor heave in the soft rock roadway, and designs the reasonable support parameters of the hydraulic expansion bolts. The observed results of floor convergence indicate that the hydraulic expansion bolts can prevent the development and flow of the plastic zone in the floor rock to control floor heave. Research results enrich the control technology in the soft rock roadway.

Effect of pre-tensioned rock bolts on stress redistribution around a roadway—insight from numerical modeling

The importance of the pre-tensioned force of rock bolts has been recognized by more and more researchers. To investi- gate the effect of pre-tensioned rock bolts on stress redistribution around roadways, a numerical analysis was carried out using FLAC3D and a special post-process methodology, using surfer, is proposed to process the numerical simulation results. The results indicate that pre-tensioned rock bolts have a significant effect on stress redistribution around a roadway. In the roof, pre-tensioned rock bolts greatly increase vertical stress; as a result, the strength of the rock mass increased significantly which results in a greater capacity of bearing a large horizontal stress. The horizontal stress decreases in the upper section of the roof, indicating that pre-tensioned rock bolts significantly reduce the coefficient and the size of the region concentration of horizontal stress. At the lat- eral side, pre-tensioned rock bolts greatly increase the horizontal stress; therefore, the rock mass strength significantly increases which results also in a greater capacity of bearing a large vertical stress. The greater the size of pre-tensioned force, the larger the region of stress redistribution around a roadway is affected and the higher the size of the stress on the roadway surface the more the rock mass strength increases.