Rock Mass Quality Rating Based on the Multi-Criteria Grey Metric Space

Assessment of rock mass quality significantly impacts the design and construction of underground and open-pit mines from the point of stability and economy.This study develops the novel Gromov-Hausdorff distance for rock quality(GHDQR)methodology for rock mass quality rating based on multi-criteria grey metric space.It usually presents the quality of surrounding rock by classes(metric spaces)with specified properties and adequate interval-grey numbers.Measuring the distance between surrounding rock sample characteristics and existing classes represents the core of this study.The Gromov-Hausdorff distance is an especially useful discriminant function,i.e.,a classifier to calculate these distances,and assess the quality of the surrounding rock.The efficiency of the developed methodology is analyzed using the Mean Absolute Percentage Error(MAPE)technique.Seven existing methods,such as the Gaussian cloud method,Discriminant method,Mutation series method,Artificial neural network(ANN),Support vector machine(SVM),Grey wolf optimizer and Support vector classification method(GWO-SVC)and Rock mass rating method(RMR)are used for comparison with the proposed GHDQR method.The share of the highly accurate category of 85.71%clearly indicates compliance with actual values obtained by the compared methods.The results of comparisons showed that the model enables objective,efficient,and reliable assessment of rock mass quality.

Failure evolution and disaster prediction of rock under uniaxial compression based on non-extensive statistical analysis of electric potential

Rock failure can cause serious geological disasters,and the non-extensive statistical features of electric potential(EP)are expected to provide valuable information for disaster prediction.In this paper,the uniaxial compression experiments with EP monitoring were carried out on fine sandstone,marble and granite samples under four displacement rates.The Tsallis entropy q value of EPs is used to analyze the selforganization evolution of rock failure.Then the influence of displacement rate and rock type on q value are explored by mineral structure and fracture modes.A self-organized critical prediction method with q value is proposed.The results show that the probability density function(PDF)of EPs follows the q-Gaussian distribution.The displacement rate is positively correlated with q value.With the displacement rate increasing,the fracture mode changes,the damage degree intensifies,and the microcrack network becomes denser.The influence of rock type on q value is related to the burst intensity of energy release and the crack fracture mode.The q value of EPs can be used as an effective prediction index for rock failure like b value of acoustic emission(AE).The results provide useful reference and method for the monitoring and early warning of geological disasters.

Load-bearing characteristics and energy evolution of fractured rock masses after granite and sandstone grouting

Experiments on grouting-reinforced rock mass specimens with different particle sizes and features were carried out in this study to examine the effects of grouting reinforcement on the load-bearing characteristics of fractured rock mass.The strength and deformation features of grouting-reinforced rock mass were analyzed under different loading manners;the energy evolution mechanism of grouting-reinforced rock mass specimens with different particle sizes and features was investigated;the energy dissipation ratio and post-peak stress decreasing rate were employed to evaluate the bearing stability of grouting-reinforced rock mass.The results show that the strength and ductility of granite-reinforced rock mass(GRM)under biaxial loading are higher than that of sandstone-reinforced rock mass(SRM)under uniaxial loading.Besides,the energy evolution characteristics of grouting-reinforced rock mass under uniaxial and biaxial loading mainly could be divided into early,middle,and late stages.In the early stage,total,elastic,and dissipation energies were quite small with flatter curves;in the middle stage,elastic energy increased rapidly,whereas dissipation energy increased slowly;in the late stage,dissipation energy increased sharply.The energy dissipation ratio was used to represent the pre-peak plastic deformation.Under uniaxial loading,this ratio increased as the particle size increased and the pre-peak plastic deformation of grouting-reinforced rock mass became larger;under biaxial loading,it dropped as the particle size increased,and the pre-peak plastic deformation of grouting-reinforced rock mass became smaller.The post-peak stress decline rate A_(v) was used to assess the post-peak bearing performance of grouting-reinforced rock mass.Under uniaxial loading,parameter A_(v) exhibited reduction as the particle size kept increasing,and the ability of post-peak of grouting-reinforced rock mass to allow deformation development was greater,and the bearing capacity was greater;under biaxial loading,A_(v) increased with the particle size,and the ability of post-peak of grouting-reinforced rock mass to allow deformation development was low and the bearing capacity was reduced.The findings are considered instrumental in improving the stability of the roadway-surrounding rock by granite and sandstone grouting.

Wmic-GMTS and Wmic-GMERR criteria for micron-scale crack propagation in red-bed soft rocks under hydraulic action

Micron-scale crack propagation in red-bed soft rocks under hydraulic action is a common cause of engineering disasters due to damage to the hard rockesoft rockewater interface.Previous studies have not provided a theoretical analysis of the length,inclination angle,and propagation angle of micron-scale cracks,nor have they established appropriate criteria to describe the crack propagation process.The propagation mechanism of micron-scale cracks in red-bed soft rocks under hydraulic action is not yet fully understood,which makes it challenging to prevent engineering disasters in these types of rocks.To address this issue,we have used the existing generalized maximum tangential stress(GMTS)and generalized maximum energy release rate(GMERR)criteria as the basis and introduced parameters related to micron-scale crack propagation and water action.The GMTS and GMERR criteria for micronscale crack propagation in red-bed soft rocks under hydraulic action(abbreviated as the Wmic-GMTS and Wmic-GMERR criteria,respectively)were established to evaluate micron-scale crack propagation in redbed soft rocks under hydraulic action.The influence of the parameters was also described.The process of micron-scale crack propagation under hydraulic action was monitored using uniaxial compression tests(UCTs)based on digital image correlation(DIC)technology.The study analyzed the length,propagation and inclination angles,and mechanical parameters of micron-scale crack propagation to confirm the reliability of the established criteria.The findings suggest that the Wmic-GMTS and Wmic-GMERR criteria are effective in describing the micron-scale crack propagation in red-bed soft rocks under hydraulic action.This study discusses the mechanism of micron-scale crack propagation and its effect on engineering disasters under hydraulic action.It covers topics such as the internal-external weakening of nano-scale particles,lateral propagation of micron-scale cracks,weakening of the mechanical properties of millimeter-scale soft rocks,and resulting interface damage at the engineering scale.The study provides a theoretical basis for the mechanism of disasters in red-bed soft-rock engineering under hydraulic action.

Strength characteristics of dry and saturated rock at different strain rates

The strength of rock materials is largely affected by water and loading conditions, but there are few studies on mechanical properties of saturated rocks at high strain rates. Through compressive tests on dry and saturated sandstone specimens, it was found that the dynamic compressive strength of both dry and saturated sandstone specimens increased with the increase of strain rates. The saturated rock specimens showed stronger rate dependence than the dry ones. The water affecting factor （WAF）, as the ratio of the strength under dry state to that under saturated state, was introduced to describe the influence of water on the compressive strength at different strain rates. The WAF under static load was close to 1.38, and decreased with the increase of strain rate. When the strain rate reached 190 s^-1, the WAF reduced to 0.98. It indicates that the compressive strength of saturated specimens can be higher than that of dry ones when the strain rate is high enough. Furthermore, the dual effects of water and strain rate on the strength of rock were discussed based on sliding crack model, which provided a good explanation for the experimental results.

Predicting TBM penetration rate in hard rock condition:A comparative study among six XGB-based metaheuristic techniques

A reliable and accurate prediction of the tunnel boring machine(TBM)performance can assist in minimizing the relevant risks of high capital costs and in scheduling tunneling projects.This research aims to develop six hybrid models of extreme gradient boosting(XGB)which are optimized by gray wolf optimization(GWO),particle swarm optimization(PSO),social spider optimization(SSO),sine cosine algorithm(SCA),multi verse optimization(MVO)and moth flame optimization(MFO),for estimation of the TBM penetration rate(PR).To do this,a comprehensive database with 1286 data samples was established where seven parameters including the rock quality designation,the rock mass rating,Brazilian tensile strength(BTS),rock mass weathering,the uniaxial compressive strength(UCS),revolution per minute and trust force per cutter(TFC),were set as inputs and TBM PR was selected as model output.Together with the mentioned six hybrid models,four single models i.e.,artificial neural network,random forest regression,XGB and support vector regression were also built to estimate TBM PR for comparison purposes.These models were designed conducting several parametric studies on their most important parameters and then,their performance capacities were assessed through the use of root mean square error,coefficient of determination,mean absolute percentage error,and a10-index.Results of this study confirmed that the best predictive model of PR goes to the PSO-XGB technique with system error of(0.1453,and 0.1325),R^(2) of(0.951,and 0.951),mean absolute percentage error(4.0689,and 3.8115),and a10-index of(0.9348,and 0.9496)in training and testing phases,respectively.The developed hybrid PSO-XGB can be introduced as an accurate,powerful and applicable technique in the field of TBM performance prediction.By conducting sensitivity analysis,it was found that UCS,BTS and TFC have the deepest impacts on the TBM PR.

Energy consumption in rock fragmentation at intermediate strain rate

In order to determine the relationship among energy consumption of rock and its fragmentation, dynamic strength and strain rate, granite, sandstone and limestone specimens were chosen and tested on large-diameter split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) equipment with half-sine waveform loading at the strain rates ranging from 40 to 150 s- 1. With recorded signals, the energy consumption, strain rate and dynamic strength were analyzed. And the fragmentation behaviors of specimens were investigated. The experimental results show that the energy consumption density of rock increases linearly with the total incident energy. The energy consumption density is of an exponent relationship with the average size of rock fragments. The higher the energy consumption density, the more serious the fragmentation, and the better the gradation of fragments. The energy consumption density takes a good logarithm relationship with the dynamic strength of rock. The dynamic strength of rock increases with the increase of strain rate, indicating higher strain rate sensitivity.

Dynamic strength of rock with single planar joint under various loading rates at various angles of loads applied

Intact rock-like specimens and specimens that include a single, smooth planar joint at various angles are prepared for split Hopkinson pressure bar（SHPB） testing. A buffer pad between the striker bar and the incident bar of an SHPB apparatus is used to absorb some of the shock energy. This can generate loading rates of 20.2-4627.3 GPa/s, enabling dynamic peak stresses/strengths and associated failure patterns of the specimens to be investigated. The effects of the loading rate and angle of load applied on the dynamic peak stresses/strengths of the specimens are examined. Relevant experimental results demonstrate that the failure pattern of each specimen can be classified as four types： Type A, integrated with or without tiny flake-off; Type B, slide failure; Type C, fracture failure; and Type D, crushing failure. The dynamic peak stresses/strengths of the specimens that have similar failure patterns increase linearly with the loading rate, yielding high correlations that are evident on semi-logarithmic plots. The slope of the failure envelope is the smallest for slide failure, followed by crushing failure, and that of fracture failure is the largest. The magnitude of the plot slope of the dynamic peak stress against the loading rate for the specimens that are still integrated after testing is between that of slide failure and crushing failure. The angle of application has a limited effect on the dynamic peak stresses/strengths of the specimens regardless of the failure pattern, but it affects the bounds of the loading rates that yield each failure pattern, and thus influences the dynamic responses of the single jointed specimen. Slide failure occurs at the lowest loading rate of any failure, but can only occur in single jointed specimen that allows sliding.Crushing failure is typically associated with the largest loading rate, and fracture failure may occur when the loading rate is between the boundaries for slide failure and crushing failure.

Application of machine learning in predicting the rate-dependent compressive strength of rocks

Accurate prediction of compressive strength of rocks relies on the rate-dependent behaviors of rocks, and correlation among the geometrical, physical, and mechanical properties of rocks. However, these properties may not be easy to control in laboratory experiments, particularly in dynamic compression experiments. By training three machine learning models based on the support vector machine(SVM), backpropagation neural network(BPNN), and random forest(RF) algorithms, we isolated different input parameters, such as static compressive strength, P-wave velocity, specimen dimension, grain size, bulk density, and strain rate, to identify their importance in the strength prediction. Our results demonstrated that the RF algorithm shows a better performance than the other two algorithms. The strain rate is a key input parameter influencing the performance of these models, while the others(e.g. static compressive strength and P-wave velocity) are less important as their roles can be compensated by alternative parameters. The results also revealed that the effect of specimen dimension on the rock strength can be overshadowed at high strain rates, while the effect on the dynamic increase factor(i.e. the ratio of dynamic to static compressive strength) becomes significant. The dynamic increase factors for different specimen dimensions bifurcate when the strain rate reaches a relatively high value, a clue to improve our understanding of the transitional behaviors of rocks from low to high strain rates.

Relationship between diameter of split Hopkinson pressure bar and minimum loading rate under rock failure

In order to investigate the relationship between bar diameter and loading rate of the split Hopkinson pressure bar(SHPB) setup under the failure of rock specimen and realize the medium strain rate loading of specimen,new SHPB setups with different elastic bar's diameters of 22,36,50 and 75 mm were constructed.The tests were carried out on these setups at different loading rates,and the specimens had the same diameter of elastic bars and same ratio of length to diameter.The test results show that the larger the elastic bar's diameter is,the less the loading rate is needed to cause specimen failure,they show good power relationship,and that under the same strain rate loading,specimens are broken more seriously with larger diameter SHPB setup than with smaller one.

Prediction of face advance rate and determination of the operation efficiency in retreat longwall mining panel using rock engineering system

A new approach for prediction of face advance rete (FAR) prior to mining operation and determination of the operation efficiency after mining operation in retreat longwall mining panel is presented based upon the concepts of rock engineering system (RES). For this purpose, six longwall panels considered in Parvadeh-I coal mine. Seven major effective parameters on FAR was selected including coal mine roof rating, gas propagation, safety factor of longwall face, ratio of joint spacing to cutting depth at longwall face, longwall face inclination, panel width, floor rock mass rating. To performance evaluation of the presented model, the relationship between the average vulnerability indexes of advance operation with FAR was determined in considered panels with coefficient of determination (R2) equal to 0.884 that indicate relatively acceptable correlation and compatibility. Investigations of the research indicated that it is possible to determine the actual operation efficiency under fair conditions by a RES-based model. The inevitable reduction of FAR for each longwall panel was determined by presented model that the difference amount between the maximum possible practical face advance rate (FARmpp) and recorded actual face advance rate (FARa) indicate the operation efficiency. Applied approach in this paper can be used to prediction of FAR in retreat longwall mining panel for same conditions that can have many benefits, including better and more accurate planning for the sales market and mine operation. Also, presented method in this paper can be applied as a useful tool to determination of actual operation efficiency for other sections and extraction methods in coal mines.

A new measurement method of crack propagation rate for brittle rock under THMC coupling condition

A new electrical method of conductive carbon-film(with waterproof and anticorrosion ability)was proposed to continuously measure crack propagation rate of brittle rock under THMC coupling condition.A self-designed coupling testing system was used to conduct THMC coupling fracture tests of the pre-cracked red sandstone specimens(where the temperature is only changed)by this new electrical method of conductive carbon-film.Calculation results obtained by the energy method coincide well with the test results.And the higher the temperature is,the earlier the crack is initiated and the larger the crack propagation rate and accelerated velocity are,which can prove the validity of the new electrical method.This new electrical method has advantages of continuously measuring crack propagation rate over the conventional electrical,optical and acoustic methods,and can provide important basis for safety assessment and cracking-arrest design of deep rock mass engineering.

Effect of loading rate on fracture characteristics of rock

The three-point bending experiments were applied to investigating effects of loading rates on fracture toughness of Huanglong limestone. The fracture toughness of Huanglong limestone was measured over a wide range of loading rates from 9 × 10-4 to 1.537 MPa.m1/2/s. According to the approximate relationship between static and dynamic fracture toughness of Huanglong limestone, relationship between the growth velocity of crack and dynamic fracture toughness was obtained. The main conclusions are summarized as follows. （1） When the loading rate is higher than 0.027 MPa-ml/2/s, the fracture toughness of Huanglong limestone increases markedly with increasing loading rate. However, when loading rate is lower than 0.027 MPa-ml/2/s, fracture toughness slightly increases with an increase in loading rate. （2） It is found from experimental results that fracture toughness is linearly proportional to the logarithmic expression of loading rate. （3） For Huanglong limestone, when the growth velocity of crack is lower than 100 m/s, the energy release rate slightly decreases with increasing the growth velocity of crack. However, when the growth velocity of crack is higher than 1 000 m/s, the energy release rate dramatically decreases with an increase in the crack growth velocity.

Drillability prediction in some metamorphic rocks using composite penetration rate index(CPRI)–An approach

Assessment of drillability of rocks is vital in the selection,operation,and performance evaluation of cutting tools used in various excavation machinery deployed in mining and tunneling.The commonly used rock drillability prediction methods,namely,drilling rate index(DRI)and Cerchar hardness index(CHI)have limitations in predicting the penetration rate due to differential wear of the cutting tool in rocks with varied hardness and abrasivity.Since cutting tools get blunt differently in different rocks,the stress beneath the tip of the bit decreases until it reaches a threshold value beyond which the penetration rate becomes constant.In this research,a new composite penetration rate index(CPRI)is suggested based on the investigations on four metamorphic rocks viz.quartzite,gneiss,schist and phyllite with varied hardness-abrasivity values.The penetration-time behavior was classified into active,moderate,passive,and dormant phases based on the reduction in penetration rate at different stages of drilling.A comparison of predicted penetration rate values using DRI and CPRI with actual penetration rate values clearly establishes the supremacy of CPRI.Micro-structure and hardness-based index was also developed and correlated with CPRI.The new indices can help predict cutting tool penetration and its consumption more accurately.

Rate-dependent mechanical behavior of jointed rock with an impersistent joint under different infill conditions

Transition in the rate-dependent mechanical response of rock was investigated due to the presence of impersistent joint with different infill conditions.Four types of samples,i.e.intact,jointed with no grouting,jointed and grouted with cement,and jointed and grouted with epoxy,were fabricated using model material.A series of dynamic split Hopkinson pressure bar(SHPB) tests was conducted on prepared samples with strain rates varying between 53-130 salong with static uniaxial compression tests(10s).Progression of fracture/failure along samples was monitored using high-speed imaging and digital image correlation(DIC).Strength was observed to be significantly lower for jointed samples as compared to intact samples.However,the increasing trend of strength with strain rates remained similar for all types of samples.Epoxy was observed to be a better grout due to greater improvement in the strength of epoxy grouted jointed samples than cement grouted samples under both static and dynamic conditions.Significant changes were observed in fracture behavior(initiation,pattern and mechanism)with strain rate for intact and jointed unfilled/grouted samples.Fracturing was dominated by shear and tensile cracks at high strain rates compared to tensile cracks at low strain rates in all samples.Unlike static loading conditions,the location of cracks initiation shifts away from joint tips with increasing strain rate and depending upon existing infill conditions(unfilled/grouted).

Sinian gas sources and effectiveness of primary gas-bearing system in Sichuan Basin, SW China

Based on correlation between geochemical characteristics of Sinian and Cambrian source rocks and discovered gas reservoirs,paleoand the analysis on geological conditions of reservoir formation,the sources of natural gas in the Sinian of Sichuan Basin have been discussed to sort out the contribution of Sinian source rocks to the gas reservoirs and effectiveness of Sinian primary gas-bearing system.Through the analysis of natural gas composition,carbon and hydrogen isotopes and effectiveness of Sinian accumulation assemblages,it is concluded that:(1)The natural gas derived from the Sinian source rock is characterized by low ethane content,heavy ethane carbon isotope and light methane hydrogen isotope,and obviously different from the gas generated by the Cambrian source rock.(2)The gas reservoirs discovered in Sinian Dengying Formation are sourced by Sinian and Cambrian source rocks,and the Sinian source rock contributes different proportions to the gas in the 4th member and the 2nd member of the Dengying Formation,specifically,39%and 55%to the 4th member in marginal zone and intra-platform,54%and 68%to the 2th member in the marginal zone and intra-platform respectively.(3)The effectiveness of the Sinian primary gas-bearing system depends on the gas generating effectiveness of the source kitchen,reservoir and combination of gas accumulation elements.For high-over mature marine source rocks at the Ro of less than 3.5%,besides gas generated from the thermal cracking of liquid hydrocarbon,the kerogen still has some gas generation potential by thermal degradation.In addition,the Sinian microbial dolomite still preserves relatively good-quality reservoirs despite large burial depths,which match well with other basic conditions for gas accumulation in central Sichuan paleo-uplift,increasing the possibility of Sinian primary gas-bearing system.The research results confirm that the Sinian primary gas-bearing system is likely to form large-scale accumulation.

Crack initiation rate of brittle rock under thermal-hydro-mechanical coupling condition

A calculation formula of thermal-hydro-mechanical(THM)coupling crack initiation rate for brittle rock was derived based on the energy conservation law.The self-designed THM coupling fracture test with conductive adhesive electrical measurement method was applied to measuring the THM coupling crack propagation rate of brittle rock continuously.Research results show that both calculation and test results of crack initiation rate increased with increase of the temperature and the hydraulic pressure.They are almost in good agreement,which can prove validity of the calculation formula of THM coupling crack initiation rate.

Prediction of rotary drilling penetration rate in iron ore oxides using rock engineering system

Prediction of the drilling penetration rate is one of the important parameters in mining operations. This parameter has a direct impact on the mine planning and cost of mining operations, Generally, effective parameters on the penetration rate is divided into two classes： rock mass properties and specifications of the machine, The chemical components of intact rock have a direct effect in determining rock mechan- ical properties, Theses parameters usually have not been investigated in any research on the rock drill- ability, In this study, physical and mechanical properties of iron ore were studied based on the amount of magnetite percent, According to the results of the tests, the effective parameters on the pen- etration rate of the rotary drilling machines were divided into three classes： specifications of the machi- nes, rock mass properties and chemical component of intact rock, Then, the rock drillahility was studied using rock engineering systems, The results showed that feed, rotation, rock mass index and iron oxide percent have important effect on penetration rate, Then a quadratic equation with 0,896 determination coefficient has been obtained, Also, the results showed that chemical components can he described as new parameters in rotary drill penetration rate,

Effects of water intrusion and loading rate on mechanical properties of and crack propagation in coal–rock combinations

Tackling the problems of underground water storage in collieries in arid regions requires knowledge of the effect of water intrusion and loading rate on the mechanical properties of and crack development in coal–rock combinations. Fifty-four coal–rock combinations were prepared and split equally into groups containing different moisture contents(dry, natural moisture and saturated) to conduct acoustic emission testing under uniaxial compression with loading rates ranging from 0.1 mm/min to 0.6 mm/min. The results show that the peak stress and strength-softening modulus, elastic modulus, strain-softening modulus, and post-peak modulus partly decrease with increasing moisture content and loading rate. In contrast, peak strain increases with increasing moisture content and fluctuates with rising loading rate. More significantly, the relationship between stiffness and stress, combined with accumulated counts of acoustic emission, can be used to precisely predict all phases of crack propagation. This is helpful in studying the impact of moisture content and loading rate on crack propagation and accurately calculating mechanical properties. We also determined that the stress thresholds of crack closure, crack initiation, and crack damage do not vary with changes of moisture content and loading rate, constituting 15.22%, 32.20%, and 80.98% of peak stress, respectively. These outcomes assist in developing approaches to water storage in coal mines, determining the necessary width of waterproof coal–rock pillars, and methods of supporting water-enriched roadways, while also advances understanding the mechanical properties of coal–rock combinations and laws of crack propagation.

An alternative approach to match field production data from unconventional gas-bearing systems

Nowadays,the unconventional gas-bearing system plays an increasingly important role in energy market.The performances of the current history-matching techniques are not satisfied when applied to such systems.To overcome this shortfall,an alternative approach was developed and applied to investigate production data from an unconventional gas-bearing system.In this approach,the fluid flow curve obtained from the field is the superposition of a series of Gaussian functions.An automatic computing program was developed in the MATLAB,and both gas and water field data collected from a vertical well in the Linxing Block,Ordos Basin,were used to present the data processing technique.In the reservoir study,the automatic computing program was applied to match the production data from a single coal seam,multiple coal seams and multiple vertically stacked reservoirs with favourable fitting results.Compared with previous approaches,the proposed approach yields better results for both gas and water production data and can calculate the contributions from different reservoirs.The start time of the extraction for each gas-containing unit can also be determined.The new approach can be applied to the field data prediction and designation for the well locations and patterns at the reservoir scale.