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Fracture evolution analysis of soil-rock mixture in contrast with soil by CT scanning under uniaxial compressive conditions

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Abstract

Soil-rock mixture (SRM), as a type of extremely heterogeneous geomaterial, is very common in nature and engineering. The fracture and damage of SRM often induce severe geological disasters. Hence, it is important to analyze the fracture evolution process of this material. In the present research, real-time computed tomography (CT) scanning was conducted on SRM and pure soil samples under uniaxial compressive experiments to investigate the influence of rocks on fracture evolution in SRM. The initiation of cracks, the original values of, and variations in, average density and heterogeneity in the soil matrix, the crack width evolution during loading, and the final failure modes were all studied. Cracks with a width greater than 0.1 mm will not arise until over 90% of ultimate stress is reached. In general, in SRM, areas where the initial average density of the soil matrix is smaller and the initial heterogeneity is greater, are much easier to crack, but the results for pure soil show the opposite effect. According to fracturing conditions shown in CT slices, fracturing and non-fracturing areas in the soil matrix were investigated. The average density of the soil matrix decreases in all areas under loading, except non-fracturing areas in SRM. For the whole sample, the increase in heterogeneity in the soil matrix of SRM is greater than that of pure soil; but for the fracturing areas, this increase in pure soil is greater. Besides, the average and standard deviations of crack width both follow logarithmic distributions with high correlation coefficients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Shale Gas and Geoengineering, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China

    XiuKuo Sun, Xiao Li, TianQiao Mao, Bo Zheng, YanFang Wu & GuanFang Li

  2. Innovation Academy for Earth Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China

    XiuKuo Sun, Xiao Li, TianQiao Mao, Bo Zheng, YanFang Wu & GuanFang Li

  3. College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    XiuKuo Sun, Xiao Li & YanFang Wu

Authors
  1. XiuKuo Sun
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  2. Xiao Li
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  3. TianQiao Mao
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  4. Bo Zheng
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  5. YanFang Wu
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  6. GuanFang Li
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Correspondence to Xiao Li.

Additional information

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 42090023, 51734009 and 42002279), and the Science Foundation of Key Laboratory of Shale Gas and Geoengineering, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KLSG201708).

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Sun, X., Li, X., Mao, T. et al. Fracture evolution analysis of soil-rock mixture in contrast with soil by CT scanning under uniaxial compressive conditions. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 64, 2771–2780 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-020-1888-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-020-1888-9

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