Rock mechanical characteristics and landscape evolutionary mechanism of the slit-type Danxia landform on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Since 2015,the newly discovered slit-type Danxia landform on the Chinese Loess Plateau has become a hot topic in the field of geomorphology worldwide.However,the relationships among its formation,evolutionary mechanism,and mechanical characteristics of its strata and rocks are not clear.In this paper,the Ganquan canyon group is used as the research object.Basic physical and mechanical indices of sandstone in the Ganquan canyon group were measured through field investigation and indoor experiments,and the deterioration trends for the mechanical parameters of sandstone in this area under the action of infiltration,acid dry-wet cycles,and freeze-thaw cycles were revealed.Lastly,the formation and evolutionary mechanism of the slit-type Danxia landform were discussed.The results showed that:(1)The sandstone in the canyon group had a low cementation degree and weak cohesive force,which was easily weakened under the action of water,resulting in a decrease in compressive strength and elastic modulus.(2)Acidic dry-wet cycles caused the mineral composition of the sandstone to be dissolved,and the micropores continued to grow and develop until new cracks were produced.Macroscopically,the compressive strength and elastic modulus of sandstone were greatly reduced,and this damage was cumulative and staged.The greater the acidity,the greater the damage.(3)As the number of freeze-thaw cycles increased,the uniaxial compressive strength and elastic modulus of the sandstone decreased continuously.During the freeze-thaw cycle process,the growth and development of cracks were primarily in fracture mode and usually developed along parallel bedding positions.(4)The interaction of tectonic activity and lithology with different weathering processes was a key factor in the formation and evolution of the slit-type Danxia landform.In conclusion,the intricate process of weathering influenced by historical climatic fluctuations has been pivotal in shaping the topography of Danxia landform.

Predicting the probability distribution of Martian rocks mechanical property based on microscale rock mechanical experiments and accurate grain-based modeling

The exploration of Mars would heavily rely on Martian rocks mechanics and engineering technology.As the mechanical property of Martian rocks is uncertain,it is of utmost importance to predict the probability distribution of Martian rocks mechanical property for the success of Mars exploration.In this paper,a fast and accurate probability distribution method for predicting the macroscale elastic modulus of Martian rocks was proposed by integrating the microscale rock mechanical experiments(micro-RME),accurate grain-based modeling(AGBM)and upscaling methods based on reliability principles.Firstly,the microstructure of NWA12564 Martian sample and elastic modulus of each mineral were obtained by micro-RME with TESCAN integrated mineral analyzer(TIMA)and nanoindentation.The best probability distribution function of the minerals was determined by Kolmogorov-Smirnov(K-S)test.Secondly,based on best distribution function of each mineral,the Monte Carlo simulations(MCS)and upscaling methods were implemented to obtain the probability distribution of upscaled elastic modulus.Thirdly,the correlation between the upscaled elastic modulus and macroscale elastic modulus obtained by AGBM was established.The accurate probability distribution of the macroscale elastic modulus was obtained by this correlation relationship.The proposed method can predict the probability distribution of Martian rocks mechanical property with any size and shape samples.

Micromechanical testing and property upscaling of planetary rocks:A critical review

Knowledge of the mechanical behavior of planetary rocks is indispensable for space explorations.The scarcity of pristine samples and the irregular shapes of planetary meteorites make it difficult to obtain representative samples for conventional macroscale rock mechanics experiments(macro-RMEs).This critical review discusses recent advances in microscale RMEs(micro-RMEs)techniques and the upscaling methods for extracting mechanical parameters.Methods of mineralogical and microstructural analyses,along with non-destructive mechanical techniques,have provided new opportunities for studying planetary rocks with unprecedented precision and capabilities.First,we summarize several mainstream methods for obtaining the mineralogy and microstructure of planetary rocks.Then,nondestructive micromechanical testing methods,nanoindentation and atomic force microscopy(AFM),are detailed reviewed,illustrating the principles,advantages,influencing factors,and available testing results from literature.Subsequently,several feasible upscaling methods that bridge the micro-measurements of meteorite pieces to the strength of the intact body are introduced.Finally,the potential applications of planetary rock mechanics research to guiding the design and execution of space missions are environed,ranging from sample return missions and planetary defense to extraterrestrial construction.These discussions are expected to broaden the understanding of the microscale mechanical properties of planetary rocks and their significant role in deep space exploration.

Failure mechanism and coupled static-dynamic loading theory in deep hard rock mining: A review

Rock failure phenomena,such as rockburst,slabbing(or spalling) and zonal disintegration,related to deep underground excavation of hard rocks are frequently reported and pose a great threat to deep mining.Currently,the explanation for these failure phenomena using existing dynamic or static rock mechanics theory is not straightforward.In this study,new theory and testing method for deep underground rock mass under coupled static-dynamic loading are introduced.Two types of coupled loading modes,i.e.'critical static stress + slight disturbance' and 'elastic static stress + impact disturbance',are proposed,and associated test devices are developed.Rockburst phenomena of hard rocks under coupled static-dynamic loading are successfully reproduced in the laboratory,and the rockburst mechanism and related criteria are demonstrated.The results of true triaxial unloading compression tests on granite and red sandstone indicate that the unloading can induce slabbing when the confining pressure exceeds a certain threshold,and the slabbing failure strength is lower than the shear failure strength according to the conventional Mohr-Column criterion.Numerical results indicate that the rock unloading failure response under different in situ stresses and unloading rates can be characterized by an equivalent strain energy density.In addition,we present a new microseismic source location method without premeasuring the sound wave velocity in rock mass,which can efficiently and accurately locate the rock failure in hard rock mines.Also,a new idea for deep hard rock mining using a non-explosive continuous mining method is briefly introduced.

ZONAL DISINTEGRATION MECHANISM OF DEEP CRACK-WEAKENED ROCK MASSES UNDER DYNAMIC UNLOADING

Size and quantity of fractured zone and non-fractured zone are controlled by cracks contained in deep rock masses. Zonal disintegration mechanism is strongly dependent on the interaction among cracks. The strong interaction among cracks is investigated using stress superposition principle and the Chebyshev polynomials expansion of the pseudo-traction. It is found from numerical results that crack nucleation, growth and coalescence lead to failure of deep crack- weakened rock masses. The stress redistribution around the surrounding rock mass induced by unloading excavation is studied. The effect of the excavation time on nucleation, growth, interaction and coalescence of cracks was analyzed. Moreover, the influence of the excavation time on the size and quantity of fractured zone and non-fractured zone was given. When the excavation time is short, zonal disintegration phenomenon may occur in deep rock masses. It is shown from numerical results that the size and quantity of fractured zone increase with decreasing excavation time, and the size and quantity of fractured zone increase with the increasing value of in-situ geostress.

A Study of the Rock Breaking Mechanism during Swirling Water Jet Drilling

Based on an analysis of the factors affecting rock breaking and the coupling between rock and fluid during water jet drilling, the rock damage model and the damage-coupling model suitable for the whole rock breaking process under the water jet is established with continuous damage mechanics and micro-damage mechanics. The evolvement of rock damage during swirling water jet drilling is simulated on a nonlinear FEM and dynamic rock damage model, and a decoupled method is used to analyze the rock damage. The numerical results agree with the test results to a high degree, which shows the rock breaking ability of the swirling water jet is strong. This is because the jet particle velocity of the swirling water jet is three-dimensional, and its rock-breaking manner mainly has a slopping impact. Thus, the interference from returning fluid is less. All these aspects make it easy to draw and shear the rock surface. The rock breaking process is to break out an annular on the rock surface first, and then the annular develops quickly in both the radial and axial directions, the last part of the rock broken hole bottom is a protruding awl. The advantage of the swirling water jet breaking rock is the heavy breaking efficiency,large breaking area and less energy used to break rock per unite volume, so the swirling water jet can drill in a hole of a large diameter.

Rock Phosphate Solubilization Mechanisms of One Fungus and One Bacterium

Many microorganisms can dissolve the insoluble phosphates like apatite. However, the mechanisms are still not clear. This study was an attempt to investigate the mechanisms of rock phosphate solubiliza-tion by an Aspergillus 2TCiF2 and an Arthrobacter1TCRi7. The results indicated that the fungus produced a large amount of organic acids, mainly oxalic acid. The total quantity of the organic acids produced by the fungus was 550 times higher than that by the bacterium. Different organic acids had completely different capacities to solubilize the rock. Oxalic acid and citric acid had stronger capacity to dissolve the rock than malic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, malonic acid and succinic acid. The fungus solubilized the rock through excreting both proton and organic acids. The rock solubilization of the bacterium depended on only proton.

Energy evolution mechanism and failure criteria of jointed surrounding rock under uniaxial compression

The object of this article is to investigate the energy evolution mechanism and failure criteria of cross-jointed samples containing an opening during deformation and failure based on the uniaxial compression test and rock energy principle.The results show that the energy evolution characteristics of the samples correspond to a typical progressive damage mode.The peak total energy,peak elastic energy,and total input energy of the samples all first decrease and then increase with an increase of half of the included angle,reaching their minimum values when this angle is 45°,while the dissipated energy generally increases with this angle.The existence of the opening and cross joints can obviously weaken the energy storage capacity of the rock,and the change in the included angle of the cross joint has a great influence on the elastic energy ratio of the sample before the peak stress,which leads to some differences in the distribution laws of the input energy.The continuous change and the subsequent sharp change in the rate of change in the energy consumption ratio can be used as the criteria of the crack initiation and propagation and the unstable failure of the sample,respectively.

Deformation Mechanism and Stability of a Rocky Slope

A high slope is located on the side of the spillway at a hydropower station in Southwest China, which has some weak inter-layers inclining outwards. Parts of the slope show heavy weathering and unloading. There appeared deformation and tensile crack either on the surface or on the afteredge of the slope during excavation, and under a platform （elev. 488 m）, two levels of slopes collapsed on the downriver side. Based on the investigation in situ and the analysis of the geological structure, the conceptual model of deformation and failure mechanism was erected for this slope. Furthermore, the deformation characteristics were studied with FLAC^3D numerical simulation. Comprehensive analysis shows that the whole deformation of the slope is unloading rebound in certain depth scope and the whole body does not slide along any weak interlayer. In addition, two parts with prominent local deformation in the shallow layer of the slope show the models of ＂creep sfiding-tensile cracking＂ and ＂slidlng-tensile cracking＂, respectively. Based on the above analysis, the corresponding project of support and reinforcement is proposed to make the slope more stable.

Failure mechanism of bolting support and high-strength bolt-grouting technology for deep and soft surrounding rock with high stress

In deep underground mining, the surrounding rocks are very soft with high stress. Their deformation and destruction are serious, and frequent failures occur on the bolt support. The failure mechanism of bolt support is proposed to solve these problems. A calculation theory is established on the bond strength of the interface between the anchoring agent and surrounding rocks. An analysis is made on the influence law of different mechanical parameters of surrounding rocks on the interfacial bond strength. Based on the research, a new high-strength bolt-grouting technology is developed and applied on site. Besides, some helpful engineering suggestions and measures are proposed. The research shows that the serious deformation and failure, and the lower bond strength are the major factors causing frequent failures of bolt support. So, the bolt could not give full play to its supporting potential. It is also shown that as the integrity, strength, interface dilatancy and stress of surrounding rocks are improved, the bond strength will increase. So, the anchoring force on surrounding rocks can be effectively improved by employing an anchoring agent with high sand content, mechanical anchoring means, or grouting reinforcement. The new technology has advantages in a high strength, imposing pre-tightening force, and giving full play to the bolt supporting potential. Hence, it can improve the control effect on surrounding rocks. All these could be helpful references for the design of bolt support in deep underground mines.

Physical model test and numerical simulation on the failure mechanism of the roadway in layered soft rocks

To explore the failure mechanism of roadway in layered soft rocks,a physical model with the physically finite elemental slab assemblage(PFESA)method was established.Infrared thermography and a video camera were employed to capture thermal responses and deformation.The model results showed that layered soft roadway suffered from large deformation.A three-dimensional distinct element code(3 DEC)model with tetrahedral blocks was built to capture the characteristics of roadway deformation,stress,and cracks.The results showed two failure patterns,layer bending fracture and layer slipping after excavation.The layer bending fracture occurred at positions where the normal direction of layers pointed to the inside of the roadway and the layer slipping occurred in the ribs.Six schemes were proposed to investigate the effects of layered soft rocks.The results showed that the deformation of ribs was obviously larger than that of the roof and floor when the roadway passed through three types of strata.When the roadway was completely in a coal seam,the change of deformation in ribs was not obvious,while the deformation in the roof and floor increased obviously.These results can provide guidance for excavation and support design of roadways in layered soft rocks.

Instability mechanism and control technology of soft rock roadway affected by mining and high confined water

Based on deformation and failure characteristics of the second belt conveyor roadway at level II of Zhuxianzhuang coal mine, laboratory experiments, numerical calculation and field test were adopted to analyze the composition and microstructure of mudstone, the law of mudstone hydration and its strength weakening induced by water, the characteristics of surrounding rock deformation and failure under the action of confined water. Results showed that montmorillonite clay minerals accounted for as much as 76% of mudstone, with a large number of pores existing in the microstructure. Besides, as the molecular structure of montmorillonite changed, mudstone microstructure damage occurred with the macroscopic manifestation of its theological instability. Weakening degree of confined water on residual strength of mudstone was almost 50%. The instability mechanism of soft rock roadway caused by high confined water is that surrounding rock circulates the process of ＂fracture-seepage-mud ding-closed＂ twice, which weakens its strength and leads to roadway instability. A combined support technology, namely the, ＂high-toughness sealing layer ＋ hollow grouting cables ＋ full-length anchoring bolts with deep borehole＂ was proposed. Based on field observation, the soft rock roadway was controlled effectively, which also verified the effectiveness of new control technology for surrounding rock.

Failure mechanism and stability control of a large section of very soft roadway surrounding rock shear slip

The measured data and simulation test phenomenon of surrounding rock deformation and failure at the project site indicate that shear failure which firstly occurs in surrounding rock, block slip and second shear failure are the root cause of deformation and damage of supporting structure of the surrounding rock at a large scale. We derived limit load of surrounding rock shear slip failure and reasonable support resistance of given load by means of shear slip line field theory, discussed the main factors which influence the limit load of surrounding rock. Shear slip line field and limit load of circular tunnel surrounding rock were obtained by means of physical simulation test, which agreed well with the theoretical analysis results. Based on the theoretical analysis and physical simulation test, the cause deformation and failure at large scale of Xinshanghai No. 1 coal mine big section ingate was analyzed, and the shear failure resistance and block slip in surrounding rock were proposed as the core technical supporting ideas. Proper range of supporting resistance which came from calculation was suggested. The support scheme which is mainly composed of large grouting anchor, sprayed anchor net support technique and full-face grille concrete finally ended the dilemma of repeated failure and mending of ingate and created critical conditions for smooth production in the coal mine.

The rock breaking and ROP increase mechanisms for single-tooth torsional impact cutting using DEM

Torsional impact drilling is a new technology which has the advantages of high rock-breaking efficiency and a high rate of penetration(ROP).So far,there is no in-depth understanding of the rock-breaking mechanism for the ROP increase from torsional impact tools.Therefore,it has practical engineering significance to study the rock-breaking mechanism of torsional impact.In this paper,discrete element method(DEM)software(PFC2 D)is used to compare granite breaking under the steady and torsional impacting conditions.Meanwhile,the energy consumption to break rock,microscopic crushing process and chip characteristics as well as the relationship among these three factors for granite under different impacting frequencies and amplitudes are discussed.It is found that the average cutting force is smaller in the case of torsional impact cutting(TIC)than that in the case of steady loading.The mechanical specific energy(MSE)and the ratio of brittle energy consumption to total energy are negatively correlated;rock-breaking efficiency is related to the mode of action between the cutting tooth and rock.Furthermore,the ROP increase mechanism of torsional impact drilling technology is that the ratio of brittle energy consumption under the TIC condition is larger than that under a steady load;the degree of repeated fragmentation of rock chips under the TIC condition is lower than that under the steady load,and the TIC load promotes the formation of a transverse cracking network near the free surface and inhibits the formation of a deep longitudinal cracking network.

Deformation mechanism of roadways in deep soft rock at Hegang Xing’an Coal Mine

Engineering geomechanics characteristics of roadways in deep soft rock at Hegang Xing'an Coal Mine were studied and the nature of clay minerals of roadway surrounding rock was analyzed. This paper is to solve the technical problems of high stress and the difficulty in supporting the coal mine, and provide a rule for the support design. Results show that mechanical deformation mechanisms of deep soft rock roadway at Xing'an Coal Mine is of ⅠABⅡABCⅢABCD type, consisting of molecular water absorption (the ⅠAB -type), the tectonic stress type + gravity deformation type + hydraulic type (the ⅡABC -type), and the ⅢABCD -type with fault, weak intercalation and bedding formation. According to the compound mechanical deformation mechanisms, the corresponding mechanical control measures and conversion technologies were proposed, and these technologies have been successfully applied in roadway supporting practice in deep soft rock at Xing'an Coal Mine with good effect. Xing'an Coal Mine has the deepest burial depth in China, with its overburden ranging from Mesozoic Jurassic coal-forming to now. The results of the research can be used as guidance in the design of roadway support in soft rock.

A state‑of‑the‑art review on rock seepage mechanism of water inrush disaster in coal mines

Water inrush is one of the most dangerous disasters in coal mining.Due to the large-scale mining and complicated hydrogeological conditions,thousands of deaths and huge economic losses have been caused by water inrush disasters in China.There are two main factors determining the occurrence of water inrush:water source and water-conducting pathway.Research on the formation mechanism of the water-conducting pathway is the main direction to prevent and control the water inrush,and the seepage mechanism of rock mass during the formation of the water-conducting pathway is the key for the research on the water inrush mechanism.This paper provides a state-of-the-art review of seepage mechanisms during water inrush from three aspects,i.e.,mechanisms of stress-seepage coupling,fow regime transformation and rock erosion.Through numerical methods and experimental analysis,the evolution law of stress and seepage felds in the process of water inrush is fully studied;the fuid movement characteristics under diferent fow regimes are clearly summarized;the law of particle initiation and migration in the process of water inrush is explored,and the efect of rock erosion on hydraulic and mechanical properties of the rock media is also studied.Finally,some limitations of current research are analyzed,and the suggestions for future research on water inrush are proposed in this review.

Heat Aggregation Mechanisms of Hot Dry Rocks Resources in the Gonghe Basin, Northeastern Tibetan Plateau

Hot dry rock(HDR) is an important geothermal resource and clean energy source that may play an increasingly important role in future energy management. High-temperature HDR resources were recently detected in deep regions of the Gonghe Basin on the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, which led to a significant breakthrough in HDR resource exploration in China. This research analyzes the deep temperature distribution, radiogenic heat production, heat flow, and crustal thermal structure in the Qiaboqia Valley, Guide Plain, and Zhacanggou area of the Gonghe Basin based on geothermal exploration borehole logging data, rock thermophysical properties, and regional geophysical exploration data. The results are applied to discuss the heat accumulation mechanism of the HDR resources in the Gonghe Basin. The findings suggest that a low-velocity layer in the thickened crust of the Tibetan Plateau provides the most important source of constant intracrustal heat for the formation of HDR resources in the Gonghe Basin, whereas crustal thickening redistributes the concentrated layer of radioactive elements, which compensates for the relatively low heat production of the basal granite and serves as an important supplement to the heat of the HDR resources. The negative effect is that the downward curvature of the lithospheric upper mantle caused by crustal thickening leads to a small mantle heat flow component. As a result, the heat flows in the Qiaboqia Valley and Guide Plain of the Gonghe Basin are 106.2 and 77.6 m W/m2, respectively, in which the crust-mantle heat flow ratio of the former is 3.12:1, indicating a notably anomalous intracrustal thermal structure. In contrast, the crust-mantle heat flow ratio in the Guide Plain is 1.84:1, which reflects a typical hot crust-cold mantle thermal structure. The Guide Plain and Zhacanggou area show the same increasing temperature trend with depth, which reflects that their geothermal backgrounds and deep high-temperature environments are similar. These results provide important insight on the heat source mechanism of HDR resource formation in the Tibetan Plateau and useful guidance for future HDR resource exploration projects and target sites selection in similar areas.

Mechanism of Formation of Premian Volcanic Rocks in Sawu′er Region, Xinjiang, China: Constraints from Rare Earth Elements

A large quantity of Premian volcanic rocks formed in Sawu＇er region of Xinjiang, China. Based on the analysis of the rare earth elements＇ （REEs） geochemical characteristics of the volcanic rocks, the correlativity of REE and major elements, and diagrams of covariant relation of REE, combined with the research results of the regional geological setting, petrology, and petrochemistry characteristics, it is inferred that the mechanism of the formation of Premian basic and intermediate volcanic rocks is mainly attributed to equilibrium partial melting, and the magmatic fractional crystallization is not significant, whereas the rock-forming processes of medium-acidic volcanic rocks is influenced by both partial melting and fractional crystallization. The REE geochemical research provided important evidence for the mechanism of magmatism of the Premian post-collision stage and the geodynamical evolution process.

Mechanism of toppling and deformation in hard rock slope: a case of bank slope of Hydropower Station, Qinghai Province, China

Recently, various toppling slopes have emerged with the development of hydropower projects in the western mountainous regions of China. The slope on the right bank of the Laxiwa Hydropower Station, located on the mainstream of the Yellow River in the Qinghai Province of Northwest China, is a typical hard rock slope. Further, its deformation characteristics are different from those of common natural hard rock toppling. Because this slope is located close to the dam of the hydropower station, its deformation mechanism has a practical significance. Based on detailed geological engineering surveys, four stages of deformation have been identified using discrete element numerical software and geological engineering analysis methods, including toppling creep, initial toppling deformation, intensified toppling deformation, and current slope formation. The spatial and time-related deformation of this site also exhibited four stages, including initial toppling, toppling development, intensification of toppling, and disintegration and collapse. Subsequently, the mechanism of toppling and deformation of the bank slope were studied. The results of this study exhibit important reference value for developing the prevention–control design of toppling and for ensuring operational safety in the hydropower reservoir area.

Damage characteristics and catastrophic failure mechanism of coal rock induced by gas adsorption under compression

To reveal the damage characteristics and catastrophic failure mechanism of coal rock caused by gas adsorption,physical tests and theoretical methods are employed.The results show that adsorption swelling can damage coal rock,which can be distinguished by fractal dimension.A fitting relationship between the adsorption damage and fractal dimension is proposed by experimental testing and theoretical analysis.High gas adsorption pressure proves to be the dominant factor that leads to coal failure softening and gas outburst disasters.Three main parameters concerning adsorption damage include the change rate of released energy density,the transition difference in the post-peak acoustic emission(AE)b value and the change rate of cumulative AE energy.Results show that all the three parameters present a step-type decreasing change with the increase in fractal dimension,and the fractal dimension shows a linear relationship within the same failure mode.Finally,a method is proposed to evaluate coal rock disaster transformation,based on the aforementioned three main parameters of adsorption damage.