Anisotropy and energy evolution mechanism of rock mass under true triaxial loading-unloading

Abstract

In the process of underground excavation, the surrounding rock is in a very complex stress environment, especially under the influence of its anisotropy, the occurrence of dynamic disaster is hidden. In this paper, the loading and unloading tests of sandstone in different principal stress directions were carried out by using the true triaxial unloading disturbed rock test system. The mechanical properties and failure characteristics of true triaxial under different principal stresses were studied, the energy evolution mechanism in other directions induced by loading and unloading of different principal stresses was analyzed. Results showed that under the influence of rock mass secondary stress anisotropy, during the cyclic loading and unloading process of the first principal stress, the strain in other directions shows opposite deformation. The volumetric strain compresses first and then expands, and the final volumetric strain shows a macroscopic phenomenon of expansion. When the third principal stress of high confining pressure rock mass is unloaded, the first principal stress produces a compression deformation, while the second and third principal stresses produce an expansion deformation. The deformation of the second principal stress is less than that of the third principal stress, and the deformation in unloading direction changes from linear elastic state to elastic-plastic nonlinear state. The accumulated energy of rock mass is a great difference between the first principal stress unloading and the third principal stress unloading. The energy variation characteristics of unloading in the dominant direction determine the energy accumulation and release law in the other two induced directions. The limit stored energy of the third principal stress unloading rock decreases, and the second principal stress accelerates the rock failure with the increase of the first principal stress, which verifies that the rock is easier to be destroyed by unloading than by loading. The higher the unloading rate of the third principal stress, the higher the energy released and the lower the dissipated energy, and the lower the energy density and total accumulated energy density in the unloading direction of rock mass. The main cause of dynamic accidents is the accumulation and release of energy in rock mass. The secondary anisotropy of rock mass has a great influence on the ultimate stored energy of rock mass. The study on the influence characteristics of three-dimensional loading and unloading secondary stress on the ultimate stored energy of rock mass provides a reference for preventing rock burst.

Keywords

• true triaxial loading and unloading
• anisotropy
• energy accumulation
• release strain energy