Deformation and failure characteristics and fracture evolution of cryptocrystalline basalt

Cryptocrystalline basalt is one of the two major types of rocks exposed in the super large-scale underground powerhouse in Baihetan hydropower station in China. The rock of this type shows various site-specific mechanical responses (e.g. fragmentation, fracturing, and relaxation) during excavation....

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Main Authors: Zhenjiang Liu, Chuanqing Zhang, Chunsheng Zhang, Yang Gao, Hui Zhou, Zhaorong Chang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2019-10-01
Series:Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674775519306298
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author Zhenjiang Liu
Chuanqing Zhang
Chunsheng Zhang
Yang Gao
Hui Zhou
Zhaorong Chang
author_facet Zhenjiang Liu
Chuanqing Zhang
Chunsheng Zhang
Yang Gao
Hui Zhou
Zhaorong Chang
author_sort Zhenjiang Liu
collection DOAJ
description Cryptocrystalline basalt is one of the two major types of rocks exposed in the super large-scale underground powerhouse in Baihetan hydropower station in China. The rock of this type shows various site-specific mechanical responses (e.g. fragmentation, fracturing, and relaxation) during excavation. Using conventional triaxial testing facility MTS 815.03, we obtained the stress–strain curves, macroscopic failure characteristics, and strength characteristics of cryptocrystalline basalt. On this basis, evolution of crack initiation and propagation was explored using the finite-discrete element method (FDEM) to understand the failure mechanism of cryptocrystalline basalt. The test results showed that: (1) under different confining stresses, almost all the pre-peak stress–strain curves of cryptocrystalline basalt were linear and the post-peak stresses decreased rapidly; (2) the cryptocrystalline basalt showed a failure mode in a form of fragmentation under low and medium confining stresses while fragmentation-shear coupling failure dominated at high confining stresses; and (3) the initial strength ratio (σci/σf, where σci and σf are the crack initiation strength and peak strength, respectively) ranged from 0.45 to 0.55 and the damage strength ratio (σcd/σf, where σcd is the crack damage strength) exceeded 0.9. The stress–strain curve characteristics and failure modes of cryptocrystalline basalt could be reflected numerically. For this, FDEM simulation was employed to reveal the characteristics of cryptocrystalline basalt, including high σcd/σf values and rapid failure after σcd, with respect to the microscopic characteristics of mineral structures. The results showed that the fragmentation characteristics of cryptocrystalline basalt were closely related to the development of tensile cracks in rock samples prior to failure. Moreover, the decrease in degree of fragmentation with increasing confining stress was also correlated with the dominant effect of confining stress on the tensile cracks. Keywords: Baihetan hydropower station, Cryptocrystalline basalt, Deformation and failure characteristics, Characteristic strengths, Crack propagation evolution
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spelling doaj.art-b2d5fc6003114261b679d0e13bdc286b2022-12-22T01:56:56ZengElsevierJournal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering1674-77552019-10-011159901003Deformation and failure characteristics and fracture evolution of cryptocrystalline basaltZhenjiang Liu0Chuanqing Zhang1Chunsheng Zhang2Yang Gao3Hui Zhou4Zhaorong Chang5State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; Corresponding author.PowerChina Huadong Engineering Corporation Limited, Hangzhou, 310014, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang, 110870, ChinaCryptocrystalline basalt is one of the two major types of rocks exposed in the super large-scale underground powerhouse in Baihetan hydropower station in China. The rock of this type shows various site-specific mechanical responses (e.g. fragmentation, fracturing, and relaxation) during excavation. Using conventional triaxial testing facility MTS 815.03, we obtained the stress–strain curves, macroscopic failure characteristics, and strength characteristics of cryptocrystalline basalt. On this basis, evolution of crack initiation and propagation was explored using the finite-discrete element method (FDEM) to understand the failure mechanism of cryptocrystalline basalt. The test results showed that: (1) under different confining stresses, almost all the pre-peak stress–strain curves of cryptocrystalline basalt were linear and the post-peak stresses decreased rapidly; (2) the cryptocrystalline basalt showed a failure mode in a form of fragmentation under low and medium confining stresses while fragmentation-shear coupling failure dominated at high confining stresses; and (3) the initial strength ratio (σci/σf, where σci and σf are the crack initiation strength and peak strength, respectively) ranged from 0.45 to 0.55 and the damage strength ratio (σcd/σf, where σcd is the crack damage strength) exceeded 0.9. The stress–strain curve characteristics and failure modes of cryptocrystalline basalt could be reflected numerically. For this, FDEM simulation was employed to reveal the characteristics of cryptocrystalline basalt, including high σcd/σf values and rapid failure after σcd, with respect to the microscopic characteristics of mineral structures. The results showed that the fragmentation characteristics of cryptocrystalline basalt were closely related to the development of tensile cracks in rock samples prior to failure. Moreover, the decrease in degree of fragmentation with increasing confining stress was also correlated with the dominant effect of confining stress on the tensile cracks. Keywords: Baihetan hydropower station, Cryptocrystalline basalt, Deformation and failure characteristics, Characteristic strengths, Crack propagation evolutionhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674775519306298
spellingShingle Zhenjiang Liu
Chuanqing Zhang
Chunsheng Zhang
Yang Gao
Hui Zhou
Zhaorong Chang
Deformation and failure characteristics and fracture evolution of cryptocrystalline basalt
Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering
title Deformation and failure characteristics and fracture evolution of cryptocrystalline basalt
title_full Deformation and failure characteristics and fracture evolution of cryptocrystalline basalt
title_fullStr Deformation and failure characteristics and fracture evolution of cryptocrystalline basalt
title_full_unstemmed Deformation and failure characteristics and fracture evolution of cryptocrystalline basalt
title_short Deformation and failure characteristics and fracture evolution of cryptocrystalline basalt
title_sort deformation and failure characteristics and fracture evolution of cryptocrystalline basalt
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674775519306298
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