Rock parameters inversion for estimating the maximum heights of two failure zones in overburden strata of a coal seam

In order to enter effective parameters of rock mass in a numerical model,the relationships between mechanical parameters of rock and rock mass were obtained by an inversion method and an orthogonal test,given our measurements of the maximum heights of two failure zones in the Longdong coal mine. Using the maximum heights of the caving zone and the water-conducting fractured zone as test indices the modulus of elasticity,the Poisson ratio,cohesion and tension strength as test factors and different values of reduction enhancement factors as test levels,an orthogonal test was designed to obtain an optimum simulation scheme.From the analysis of different values of reduction enhancement factors which affect the test indices,an optimum factor combination for modification of parameters could be inferred.By using modified parameters in our numerical simulation,the maximum heights of the caving zone and the water-conducting fractured zone in the extensive Xiyi area were determined as 15.06 m and 36.92 m.These values were almost the same as those obtained by similar material simulation（8.5 m and 37.0 m）and empirical prediction（8.4 m and 34.4 m）.These results indicate that the modification of parameters is a rational method.

Determination of uncertainties of geomechanical parameters of metamorphic rocks using petrographic analyses

Geomechanical parameters of intact metamorphic rocks determined from laboratory testing remain highly uncertain because of the great intrinsic variability associated with the degrees of metamorphism.The aim of this paper is to develop a proper methodology to analyze the uncertainties of geomechanical characteristics by focusing on three domains,i.e.data treatment process,schistosity angle,and mineralogy.First,the variabilities of the geomechanical laboratory data of Westwood Mine(Quebec,Canada)were examined statistically by applying different data treatment techniques,through which the most suitable outlier methods were selected for each parameter using multiple decision-making criteria and engineering judgment.Results indicated that some methods exhibited better performance in identifying the possible outliers,although several others were unsuccessful because of their limitation in large sample size.The well-known boxplot method might not be the best outlier method for most geomechanical parameters because its calculated confidence range was not acceptable according to engineering judgment.However,several approaches,including adjusted boxplot,2MADe,and 2SD,worked very well in the detection of true outliers.Also,the statistical tests indicate that the best-fitting probability distribution function for geomechanical intact parameters might not be the normal distribution,unlike what is assumed in most geomechanical studies.Moreover,the negative effects of schistosity angle on the uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)variabilities were reduced by excluding the samples within a specific angle range where the UCS data present the highest variation.Finally,a petrographic analysis was conducted to assess the associated uncertainties such that a logical link was found between the dispersion and the variabilities of hard and soft minerals.

New criterion for rock joints based on three-dimensional roughness parameters

The shear behavior of rock joints is important in solving practical problems of rock mechanics. Three group rock joints with different morphologies are made by cement mortar material and a series of CNL(constant normal loading) shear tests are performed. The influences of the applied normal stress and joint morphology to its shear strength are analyzed. According to the experimental results, the peak dilatancy angle of rock joint decreases with increasing normal stress, but increases with increasing roughness. The shear strength increases with the increasing normal stress and the roughness of rock joint. It is observed that the modes of failure of asperities are tensile, pure shear, or a combination of both. It is suggested that the three-dimensional roughness parameters and the tensile strength are the appropriate parameter for describing the shear strength criterion. A new peak shear criterion is proposed which can be used to predict peak shear strength of rock joints. All the used parameters can be easily obtained by performing tests.

Determination of rock mass integrity coefficient using a non-invasive geophysical approach

Determination of rock mechanical parameters is the most important step in rock mass quality evaluation and has significant impacts on geotechnical engineering practice.Rock mass integrity coefficient(KV)is one of the most efficient parameters,which is conventionally determined from boreholes.Such approaches,however,are time-consuming and expensive,offer low data coverage of point measurements,require heavy equipment,and are hardly conducted in steep topographic sites.Hence,borehole approaches cannot assess the subsurface thoroughly for rock mass quality evaluation.Alternatively,use of geophysical methods is non-invasive,rapid and economical.The proposed geophysical approach makes useful empirical correlation between geophysical and geotechnical parameters.We evaluated the rock mass quality via integration between KV measured from the limited boreholes and inverted resistivity obtained from electrical resistivity tomography(ERT).The borehole-ERT correlation provided KV along various geophysical profiles for more detailed 2D/3D(two-/three-dimensional)mapping of rock mass quality.The subsurface was thoroughly evaluated for rock masses with different engineering qualities,including highly weathered rock,semi-weathered rock,and fresh rock.Furthermore,ERT was integrated with induced polarization(IP)to resolve the uncertainty caused by water/clay content.Our results show that the proposed method,compared with the conventional approaches,can reduce the ambiguities caused by inadequate data,and give more accurate insights into the subsurface for rock mass quality evaluation.

THE APPLICATION OF GENETIC ALGORITHM IN NON-LINEAR INVERSION OF ROCK MECHANICS PARAMETERS

The non-linear inversion of rock mechanics parameters based on genetic algorithm is presented. The principIe and step of genetic algorithm is also given. A brief discussion of this method and an application example is presented at the end of this paper. From the satisfied result, quick, convenient and practical new approach is developed to solve this kind of problems.

Influence of wettability of shaly sandstone on rock electricity parameters

It has been found that the existence of chlorite and illite will lead to the rock wettability of oil affinity.Chlorite and illite are developed in shaly sandstone of Yingcheng Formation in Longfengshan area,the saturation index n of 7 rock samples is very high,with the highest of 14.57,whereas the cementation index m is low.The X-ray diffraction of clay and whole rock analysis of 7 shaly sandstone samples are carried out,and the relationship between chlorite and illite content vs.m and n is established.It is concluded that the low m value and high n value are caused by the wettability of rock.In order to verify the influence of wettability on the parameters of rock electricity,this paper discusses the method of making artificial shaly sandstone and the control of wettability.This study provides certain reference for determining the saturation model of shaly sandstone and improving the logging interpretation accuracy of shaly sandstone reservoirs.

Parameters of new three-water model based on nuclear magnetic experiment and optimization algorithm

Clastic rock reservoir is the main reservoir type in the oil and gas field.Archie formula or various conductive models developed on the basis of Archie’s formula are usually used to interpret this kind of reservoir,and the three-water model is widely used as well.However,there are many parameters in the threewater model,and some of them are difficult to determine.Most of the determination methods are based on the statistics of large amount of experimental data.In this study,the authors determine the value of the parameters of the new three-water model based on the nuclear magnetic data and the genetic optimization algorithm.The relative error between the resistivity calculated based on these parameters and the resistivity measured experimentally at 100%water content is 0.9024.The method studied in this paper can be easily applied without much experimental data.It can provide reference for other regions to determine the parameters of the new three-water model.

Soft rocks in Argentina

Soft rocks are a still fairly unexplored chapter in rock mechanics. Within this category are the clastic sedimentary rocks and pyroclastic volcanic rocks, of low to moderate lithification （consolidation, cemen- tation, new formed minerals）, chemical sedimentary rocks and metamorphic rocks formed by minerals witk Mohs hardness less than 3.5, such as limestone, gypsum, halite, sylvite, between the first and phyllites, graphitic schist, chloritic shale, talc, etc., among the litter. They also include any type Of rock that suffered alteration processes （hydrothermal or weathering）. In Argentina the study of low-strength rocks has not received much attention despite having extensive outcrops in the Andes and great impact in the design criteria. Correlation between geomechanical properties （UCS, deformability） to physical index （porosity, density, etc.） has shown promising results to be better studied. There are many studies and engineering projects in Argentina in soft rock geological environments, some cited in the text （Chihuido dam, N. Kirchner dam, J. Cepernic Dam, etc.） and others such as International Tunnel in the Province of Mendoza （Corredor Bioceanico）, which will require the valuable contribution from rock mechanics. The lack of consistency between some of the physical and mechanical parameters explored from studies in the country may be due to an insufficient amount of information and/or non-standardization of criteria for testing materials. It is understood that more and better academic and professional efforts in improv- ing techniques will result in benefits to the better understanding of the geomechanics of weak rocks.

A stability study of goaf based on mechanical properties degradation of rock caused by rheological and disturbing loads

Based on the classical static theory and static numerical simulation,the static method could not accurately reflect the stability of goaf where the rocks on the pillar and roof are influenced by Theological and blasting disturbance for a long time.According to the test from the site,an experimental study was made in Theological and dynamic disturbance.After that,on the basis of variable rock mechanics parameters from the experimental data,numerical simulation was used to analyze the vertical stress distribution of goaf,vertical displacement and plastic area of roof in the "deterioration" caused by Theological and blasting,which shows that the mechanics properties of the rock were greatly influenced by Theological,and dynamic disturbance.The results of the experimental study and numerical simulation show that the mechanics properties of rock are greatly influenced by Theological and dynamic disturbance.As a result,the stability of goaf is greatly reduced.Finally,by comparing golf monitoring results with the analysis of theoretical calculation,it was found that the results were approximately the same,which testifies the reliability of the method.This method provides a new way of studying the stability of goaf as well as laying a basic foundation for future safety management.

The improved neutral network and its application for valuing rock mass mechanical parameter

The artificial neutral network(ANN) has the ability that self-study and self-remember, its 3 layers BP network has been applied extensively, but sometimes because of serious multi-correlation between the variables, and a few observations while many variables, there usually will result into paralyzing in study, and the neutral network further development is restricted in the system to some extent. The partial least square regression(PLS) has its advantage of building the calculation model between the variables with strong multi-correlation, especially much effective on a few data and many variables. So a new and effective method-improved neutral network has been introduced-the neutral network based on the PLS. The results of example show the improved method has a few calculations and high accuracy, and provide a new way for valuing the rock mass mechanical parameters.

A simplified approach to directly consider intact rock anisotropy in Hoek——Brown failure criterion

Many rock types have naturally occurring inherent anisotropic planes, such as bedding planes, foliation,or flow structures. Such characteristic induces directional features and anisotropy in rocks＇ strength anddeformational properties. The HoekeBrown （HeB） failure criterion is an empirical strength criterionwidely applied to rock mechanics and engineering. A direct modification to HeB failure criterion toaccount for rock anisotropy is considered as the base of the research. Such modification introduced a newdefinition of the anisotropy as direct parameter named the anisotropic parameter （Kb）. However, thecomputation of this parameter takes much experimental work and cannot be calculated in a simple way.The aim of this paper is to study the trend of the relation between the degree of anisotropy （Rc） and theminimum value of anisotropic parameter （Kmin）, and to predict the Kmin directly from the uniaxialcompression tests instead of triaxial tests, and also to decrease the amount of experimental work. 2014 Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Production and hosting byElsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimization of construction scheme and supporting technology for HJS soft rock tunnel

For a soft rock tunnel under high stress in jointed and swell soft rock （HJS）, two construction schemes pilot-tunneling enlarging excavation and step-by-step excavation were optimized using FLAC20, and the deformation effects of the two construction schemes were verified by field tests. Based on engineer- ing geological investigation and mechanical analysis of large deformations, the complex deformation mechanisms of stress expansion and structural deformation of the soft rock tunnel were confirmed, and support countermeasures from the complex deformation mechanism converted to a single type were proposed, and the support parameters were optimized by field tests. These technologies were proved by engineering practice, which produced significant technical and economic benefits.

DEM investigation of weathered rocks using a novel bond contact model

The distinct element method（DEM） incorporated with a novel bond contact model was applied in this paper to shed light on the microscopic physical origin of macroscopic behaviors of weathered rock, and to achieve the changing laws of microscopic parameters from observed decaying properties of rocks during weathering. The changing laws of macroscopic mechanical properties of typical rocks were summarized based on the existing research achievements. Parametric simulations were then conducted to analyze the relationships between macroscopic and microscopic parameters, and to derive the changing laws of microscopic parameters for the DEM model. Equipped with the microscopic weathering laws, a series of DEM simulations of basic laboratory tests on weathered rock samples was performed in comparison with analytical solutions. The results reveal that the relationships between macroscopic and microscopic parameters of rocks against the weathering period can be successfully attained by parametric simulations. In addition, weathering has a significant impact on both stressestrain relationship and failure pattern of rocks.

Mechanical Properties of Soil-Rock Mixture Filling in Fault Zone Based on Mesostructure

Soil-rock mixture(SRM)filling in fault zone is an inhomogeneous geomaterial,which is composed of soil and rock block.It controls the deformation and stability of the abutment and dam foundation,and threatens the long-term safety of high arch dams.To study the macroscopic and mesoscopic mechanical properties of SRM,the development of a viable mesoscopic numerical simulation method with a mesoscopic model generation technology,and a reasonable parametric model is crucially desired to overcome the limitations of experimental conditions,specimen dimensions,and experiment fund.To this end,this study presents a mesoscopic numerical method for simulating the mechanical behavior of SRM by proposing mesoscopic model generation technology based on its mesostructure features,and a rock parameter model considering size effect.The validity and rationality of the presented mesoscopic numerical method is experimentally verified by the triaxial compression tests with different rock block contents(RBC).The results indicate that the rock block can increase the strength of SRM,and it is proved that the random generation technique and the rock parameter model considering size effect are validated.Furthermore,there are multiple failure surfaces for inhomogeneous geomaterial of SRM,and the angle of the failure zone is no longer 45◦.The yielding zones of the specimen are more likely to occur in thin sections of soil matrix isolated by blocks with the failure path avoiding the rock block.The proposed numerical method is effective to investigate the meso-damage mechanism of SRM.

Influence of Prospecting and Crude Oil Production on Geoecological Parameters of Permafrost

The large reserves ofoil are disposed in zones of permafrost in shelf and continental fields. In Europe the subarctic and arctic tundra are abundant only in Nenetsky autonomous area and in the north-east of the republic of Komi. Oil and gas production activity has threatened richest biological resources and health of the population of the region. A singularity of petroliferous fields of the north of Russia is the existence of the thick strata of permafrost. On top of them different heat-insulating overlying layers （snow, biogenic covers） reside. State and dynamics of permafrost cause progressing dangerous exogenic geoecological processes, which are exhibited completely. State of permafrost is instituted by exchange of heat in near-surface strata of a geological section. During the development of oil fields there is a disturbance of a temperature schedule of permafrost. For estimation of technical attack the analytical computational method of influence of the different factors on value of annual heat exchange and prediction of geocryological conditions is proposed. It is shown, that such dangerous phenomena as degradation of permafrost and thermokarst would develop in the first place, which would cause the destruction of natural ecosystems.

Measurement-while-drilling technique and its scope in design and prediction of rock blasting

With rampant growth and improvements in drilling technology, drilling of blast holes should no longer be viewed as an arduous sub-process in any mining or excavation process. Instead, it must be viewed as an important opportunity to quickly and accurately measure the geo-mechanical features of the rock mass on-site, much in advance of the downstream operations. It is well established that even the slightest variation in lithology, ground conditions, blast designs vis-a-vis geologic features and explosives performance, results in drastic changes in fragmentation results. Keeping in mind the importance of state-of-the-art measurement-while-drilling （MWD） technique, the current paper focuses on integrating this technique with the blasting operation in order to enhance the blasting designs and results. The paper presents a preliminary understanding of various blasting models, blastability and other related concepts, to review the state-of-the-art advancements and researches done in this area. In light of this, the paper highlights the future needs and implications on drill monitoring systems for improved information to enhnnrp th~ hl^tin~ r^HIt~

Characterization and analysis of coded excitation ultrasound parameters for rock properties

Coded excitation technology （CET） can effectively enhance the penetration and resolution of ultrasonic testing. To analyze the influence of rock properties on pulse compression performance （PCP） of coded excitation signals （CES）, a numerical simulation, and an ultrasonic experiment on different rock samples are performed; and the detection ability of several CESs are also investigated and compared. The results of experiments showed that the loss of the signal-to-noise ratio （SNR） of Barker coded signal with tapered linear frequency modulated carrier （BTLFM） is always less than Barker coded signal with sine carrier （BS）, while the resolution loss of BTLFM is lower than tapered linear frequency modulated signal （TLFM）. In sum, the results not only verifiy the effectiveness of CET, but also provide a basis for the parameter settings of coded signals used in rock ultrasonic testing.