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True Triaxial Experimental Study of Anisotropic Mechanical Behavior and Permeability Evolution of Initially Fractured Coal

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Abstract

During deep underground coal mining, coal is typically fractured under high in situ and mining-related stresses, thus increasing the risk for dynamic disasters. However, knowledge regarding the mechanical and permeability characteristics of initially fractured coal remains limited. In this study, laboratory investigations were performed to examine the anisotropic strength, failure modes, and permeability of initially fractured coal subjected to true triaxial stresses. The results indicated that initially fractured coal can be classified into semi-brittle Class I failure modes. A new failure plane can be formed for initially fractured coal samples after failure, which was different from the intact coal samples’ failure mode. The peak strength of initially fractured coal was typically observed when the maximum principal stress was subjected perpendicular to the bedding planes, while minimum values were obtained when the maximum principal stress was subjected parallel to the butt cleats. The brittleness of initially fractured coal was increased with intermediate stress. The permeability evolution curves for initially fractured coal exhibited an L-shaped trend. The pulverized coal grains in initially fractured coal can block the gas flow channel contributing to the continuous decrease in permeability. Intermediate stress exerts a more significant effect on permeability reduction when deviatoric stresses are applied parallel to cleats in coal.

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Acknowledgments

This study is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52104231), the Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China (2020M681775), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2021QN1088).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Gas and Fire Control for Coal Mines (China University of Mining and Technology), Ministry of Education, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu, China

    Yubing Liu, Enyuan Wang & Dong Zhao

  2. School of Safety Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, Jiangsu, China

    Yubing Liu, Enyuan Wang & Dong Zhao

  3. State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400030, China

    Changbao Jiang, Dongming Zhang & Beichen Yu

  4. Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Sciences and Geothermal Energy Exploitation and Utilization, Institute of Deep Earth Sciences and Green Energy, College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China

    Minghui Li

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  1. Yubing Liu
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  4. Dongming Zhang
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Correspondence to Yubing Liu or Changbao Jiang.

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Liu, Y., Wang, E., Jiang, C. et al. True Triaxial Experimental Study of Anisotropic Mechanical Behavior and Permeability Evolution of Initially Fractured Coal. Nat Resour Res 32, 567–585 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11053-022-10150-8

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