The mechanical properties of a columnar jointed rock mass (CJRM) under loading and unloading conditions differ appreciably. The CJRM at the Baihetan Hydropower Station has a distinct type of joint and a self-organized joint network of discontinuities. Under an unloading condition during excavation, the joints present a characteristic anisotropy phenomenon. To study the relationship between the strength and deformation of the CJRM, a series of triaxial unloading tests were conducted on the CJRM physical model with a servo-controlled testing machine. The results indicate that the deformation has an obvious correlation with the angle β between the column direction and horizontal. Poisson’s ratio of the CJRM varies with β between 0.07 and 0.42 during the loading of axial stress. Furthermore, the relation between the confining pressure reduction and deformation modulus reduction of the CJRM as a function of β was studied.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
R. Huang, X. Wang, and L. Chan, “Triaxial unloading test of rocks and its implication for rock burst,” B. Eng. Geol. Environ., 60(1), 37-41 (2001).
R. E. Goodman, Introduction to Rock Mechanics, 2, Wiley, American (1980)
N. Cook, E. P. Hoek, J. Pretorius, W. D. Ortlepp, and M. Salamon, “Rock mechanics applied to the study of rockburst,” J. S. Afr. I. Min. Metall., 66(10), 435-528 (1966).
W. D. Ortlepp and T. R. Stacey, “Rockburst mechanisms in tunnels and shafts,” Tunn. Undergr. Sp. Tech., 9, No.1, 59-65 (1994).
J. H. Hu, T. Lei, K. Zhou, X. Luo and N. Yang, “Mechanical response of roof rock mass unloading during continuous mining process in underground mine,” T. Nonferr. Menal. Soc., 21(12), 2727-2733 (2011).
H. Xie, C. He, “Study of the unloading characteristics of a rock mass using the triaxial test and damage mechanics,” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min., 41, No.3, 366 (2004).
R. Huang and D. Huang, “Evolution of rock cracks under unloading condition,” Rock Mech. Rock Eng., 47(2), 453- 466 (2014).
X. Li, W. Cao, Z. Zhou and Y. Zou, “Influence of stress path on excavation unloading response,” Tunn. Undergr. Sp. Tech., 42, 237-246 (2014).
D. Huang and Y. Li, “Conversion of strain energy in triaxial unloading tests on marble,” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min., 66, 160-168 (2014).
G. Zhao, B. Dai, L. Dong, and C. Yang, “Energy conversion of rocks in process of unloading confining pressure under different unloading paths,” T. Nonferr. Menal. Soc., 25(5), 1626-1632 (2015).
X. Zhao, J. Wang, M. Cai, C. Cheng, L. Ma, R. Su and D. J. Li, “Influence of unloading rate on the strain-burst characteristics of Beishan granite under true-triaxial unloading conditions,” Rock Mech. Rock Eng., 47(2), 467-483 (2014).
J. Li, L. Wang, and X. Sun, “Experimental study on anisotropic mechanical characteristics of jointed rock masses under unloading condition,” Rock Mech. Rock Eng., 33(5), 892-900 (2014).
Z. Shan and S. Di, “Loading-unloading test analysis of anisotropic columnar jointed basalts,” J. Zhejiang Univ-Sc. A, 14(8), 603-614 (2013).
L. Goehring, On the scaling and ordering of columnar joints [M], PhD thesis, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada (2008).
G. Hetényi, B. Taisne, F. Garel, É. Médard, S. Bosshard, and H. B. Mattsson, “Scales of columnar jointing in igneous rocks: field measurements and controlling factors,” B. Volcanol., 74(2), 457-482 (2012).
H. Ji, J. C. Zhang, W. Xu, R. Wang, H. Wang, L. Yan, and Z. Lin, “Experimental investigation of the anisotropic mechanical properties of a columnar jointed rock mass: observations from laboratory-based physical modeling,” Rock Mech. Rock Eng., 50(7), 1919-1931 (2017).
Z. Lin, W. Xu, H. Wang, J. Zhang, W. Wang, R. Wang, and H. Ji, “Anisotropic characteristic of irregular columnarjointed rock mass based on physical model test,” J. Civ. Eng., 21, 1728-1734 (2017).
Z. Lin, W. Xu, W. Wang, H. Wang, R. Wang, H. Ji, and J. Zhang, “Determination of strength and deformation properties of columnar jointed rock mass using physical model tests,” J. Civ. Eng., 22(9), 3302-3311 (2018).
R. D. Lama and V. S. Vutukuri, Handbook on Mechanical Properties of Rocks: Testing Techniques and Results. 1, Trans. Tech. Pub., American (1978).
H. Gercek, “Poisson’s ratio values for rocks,” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min., 44(1), 1-13 (2007).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Translated from Osnovaniya, Fundamenty i Mekhanika Gruntov, No. 1, January-February, 2023.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Lin, Z., Feng, S., Xu, W. et al. Mechanical Anisotropy of the Columnar Jointed Rock Mass Under Unloading Conditions. Soil Mech Found Eng 60, 70–78 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11204-023-09865-4
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11204-023-09865-4