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Influences of Mechanical Contrast on Failure Characteristics of Layered Composite Rocks Under True-Triaxial Stresses

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Abstract

Layered composite rocks (LCRs) are often encountered in underground excavation in which extensive deformation, buckling and local collapse near the layer interface frequently occur. However, there is limited advance knowledge of the failure mechanisms of LCRs to interpret the field observations due to the relative scarcity of polyaxial compression testing. To that end, this study conducts the true-triaxial experiments with the acoustic emission (AE) monitoring on the LCR specimens, with the emphases being on the effects of mechanical contrast (MC) between the layers on the fracture behaviors under true-triaxial stresses. First, the strength of LCRs is controlled by the weaker layer. Second, at the unstable fracturing phase, high AE event rate is faithfully recorded but intermittently interrupted by macrofracturing in granite but not in sandstone. Third, main failure planes of LCRs appear sub-orthogonally to σ3 (minimum principal stress), taken the form of delamination fracture and exhibited the mode of σ3-transverse-symmetric fracturing. As the distance from the unloaded surface increases, the fracturing transitions from σ3-transverse-symmetric spalling to σ3-transverse-symmetric shearing. Depending on the MC, both the fracture propagation through the interface and the fracture containment within sandstone are registered. Moreover, the interface effect is numerically revealed through a 3D finite-element modeling. This study gets insights into the failure mechanisms of LCRs with a changing mechanical property in individual layers under true-triaxial stresses.

Highlights

  • True-triaxial experiment investigations of layered composite rocks in a brittle-brittle sequence.

  • Quantitative interpretations of acousto-mechanical properties and fracturing behaviors in layered composite rocks.

  • The fracture propagation through the interface is registered, as well as the fracture containment within the sandstone.

  • The delamination fracture along σ3-unloading direction dominates the feature of σ3-transverse-symmetric fracturing.

  • The interface effect is revealed by a 3D finite-element modelling.

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Data Availability

The raw/processed data required to reproduce these findings cannot be shared at this time as the data also forms part of an ongoing study.

Abbreviations

3D:

Three-dimensional

AE:

Acoustic emission

E :

Elastic modulus

FPZ:

Fracture process zone

LCRs:

Layered composite rocks

LVDTs:

Linear variable differential transformers

MC:

Mechanical contrast

R A :

Sphere of influence of tunnel face

SR:

Strength reservation

S ij :

Deviatoric stress

x :

Distance from tunnel face

υ :

Poisson’s ratio

ε p :

Peak strain

λ :

Stress release coefficient

σ 1 :

Maximum principal stress

σ 2 :

Intermediate principal stress

σ 3 :

Minimum principal stress

σ θ :

Tangential stress

σ z :

Axial stress

σ r :

Radial stress

σ p :

Peak stress

σ cd :

Damage stress

σ UCS :

Uniaxial compression strength

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 52109124, 52027814 and 51839009).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zijin School of Geology and Mining, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China

    Ting Zhang & Jian-Zhi Zhang

  2. School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400045, China

    Ting Zhang, Jian-Zhi Zhang & Xiao-Ping Zhou

  3. Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia

    Quan-Zhen Chen

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  1. Ting Zhang
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Correspondence to Xiao-Ping Zhou.

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Zhang, T., Chen, QZ., Zhang, JZ. et al. Influences of Mechanical Contrast on Failure Characteristics of Layered Composite Rocks Under True-Triaxial Stresses. Rock Mech Rock Eng 56, 5363–5381 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-023-03341-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-023-03341-z

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