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Dynamic Mechanical Response and Fracture Characteristics of Multi-flawed Rocks Exposed to Hydrostatic Confinements

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Abstract

Flawed rocks subjected to hydrostatic confinements in deep underground engineering are vulnerable to dynamic disturbances. Understanding the dynamic mechanical responses and fracture characteristics of flawed rocks is crucial for the design and construction safety of deep underground structures. In this research, using a triaxial split Hopkinson pressure bar device, the dynamic triaxial compression tests are performed on multi-flawed sandstone specimens containing different flaw angles and distances. The experimental results revealed the influence of the flaw angle, flaw distance, and hydrostatic confining pressure on the dynamic strength characteristics, deformation properties, failure modes and fracture mechanisms of rocks. Both the dynamic strength and elastic modulus increase with rising hydrostatic confining pressure, while the dynamic strength depicts a positive correlation with strain rate. The dynamic strength fluctuates zigzag with the flaw angle, and decreases first and then increases slightly with flaw distances. Specimens with different flaw angles all demonstrate conjugated “X” shape failure, while the single shear band failure is shown for certain flaw distances. Seven crack categories are identified based on the basis of different trajectories and the fracture characteristics of new cracks are analyzed in multiscale perspective. The scanning electron microscope observation indicates numerous shear traces on the fracture surface while brittle fracture features are relatively few. Furthermore, the fracture surface roughness is quantified by the 3D scanning technique and fractal dimension. Rocks containing higher flaw distance or under higher hydrostatic confining pressure are featured by lower fractal dimension and smoother fracture surfaces.

Highlights

  • Dynamic impacting tests on hydrostatically confined rocks containing multiple flaws were conducted.

  • The influence of hydrostatic confining pressure and flaw configuration on the dynamic strength, deformation properties, and failure characteristics of rocks were investigated.

  • The fracture mechanism of flawed rocks under hydrostatic confinements by the scanning electron microscope and 3D scanning technique was analyzed.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 52225904, No. 52039007 and No. 42377144), and the Sichuan Province Natural Science Foundation (No. 2023NSFSC0377), and the New Cornerstone Science Foundation through the XPLORER PRIZE.

Funding

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 52225904, No. 52039007 and No. 42377144), and the Sichuan Province Natural Science Foundation (No. 2023NSFSC0377), and the New Cornerstone Science Foundation through the XPLORER PRIZE.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China

    Wei You, Feng Dai & Yi Liu

  2. School of Highway, Chang’an University, Xi’an, 710064, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China

    Ang Li

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  1. Wei You
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Correspondence to Yi Liu.

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You, W., Dai, F., Liu, Y. et al. Dynamic Mechanical Response and Fracture Characteristics of Multi-flawed Rocks Exposed to Hydrostatic Confinements. Rock Mech Rock Eng (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-024-03852-3

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