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Deformation and strength properties of completely decomposed granite in a fault zone

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Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A large fault fracture zone with about 100 m wide exists in Wuyue Pumped Storage Power station of China, where the low-strength and highly-fractured granite severely restricts the stability of the underground powerhouse. However, no relevant exploration has been made on its lithology to ensure the safety of the upcoming construction. To overcome this insufficiency, we present the most recent researches on the strength and deformation of the local granite. The local rock samples were obtained through field sampling from the exploratory adit PD1, and its deformation and strength properties depending on environmental conditions was thoroughly investigated, by mean of experimental and theoretical analysis. Primary attention is given to the prediction and engineering guidance of the proposed model upon the mechanical parameters and shear strength when considering the more extensive environmental variables, namely, dry densities and confining pressures. Experimental results show that the failure of remoulded soils with completely decomposed granite is characterized by bulging deformation in the middle without a visible failure surface, along with significant “volume-contraction”. Also, the influence of environmental variables on mechanical parameters is different, in particular peak strength and elastic modulus present highly linear correlation with the confining pressure and dry density. Additionally, based on the measurements, the proposed universal function law upon mechanical parameters and shear strength depending on environmental variables, compare well with experimental results for practical purposes. Our conclusions are useful to capture the deformation and strength behaviour and then put forward corresponding measures for the poor surrounding rock mass, especially those being highly decomposed, where the Wuyue Pumped Storage Power station is to be built shortly.

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Date availability

The dates used to support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding authors upon request.

Abbreviations

CD:

Consolidation and drainage

c :

Cohesion

φ :

Internal friction angle

tanφ :

Friction coefficient

ρ d :

Dry density

f c(ρ d):

The cohesive force associated with dry density

f φ1(ρ d) and f φ2(ρ d):

The coefficient of friction associated with dry density

σ :

Normal stress on the failure surface

τ f :

Shear stress

q f :

Failure deviatoric stress

R 2 :

Fitting degree

σ 1 and σ 3 :

Stress

S r :

Saturation rate

(σ 1–σ 3):

Deviatoric stress

ε, ε 1 and ε 3 :

Strain

ΔV :

Volume strain increment

ε v :

Volume strain

μ i :

Poisson’s ratio

E i :

Elastic modulus

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Outstanding Youth Science Foundation of Hunan Province of China (No. 2019JJ20028); the Open Research Fund Program of Work Safety Key Lab on Prevention and Control of Gas and Roof Disasters for Southern Coal Mines (Hunan University of Science and Technology) (No. E21827); and the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province of China (No. 2017JJ2296).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Resources and Safety Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China

    Shaohua Du & Diyuan Li

  2. Work Safety Key Lab on Prevention and Control of Gas and Roof Disasters for Southern Coal Mines, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, 411201, Hunan Province, China

    Shaohua Du

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia

    Shaohua Du & Chunshun Zhang

  4. Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Key Technology on Hydropower Development, Changsha, 410014, China

    Dawei Mao

  5. School of Civil Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410075, China

    Bo Ruan

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  1. Shaohua Du
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Correspondence to Diyuan Li or Chunshun Zhang.

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Du, S., Li, D., Zhang, C. et al. Deformation and strength properties of completely decomposed granite in a fault zone. Geomech. Geophys. Geo-energ. Geo-resour. 7, 13 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-020-00210-9

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