Study on the Evolution Law and the Orientation Criterion of a Plastic Zone in Rock Surrounding a Circular Roadway in a Three-Dimensional Non-Isobaric Stress Field

Abstract

The original rock stress field is mainly divided into the σHZ-dominant stress field, the σZ-dominant stress field, and the σH-dominant stress field. Via theoretical analysis, the plastic zone morphology and the orientation of roadway surrounding rock under a three-dimensional stress field are studied in depth, and the theory is verified by numerical simulation. The results show that in the σHZ-dominant stress field, the plastic failure mode changes from elliptical to quasi-circular to butterfly, and the optimized angle range of the roadway orientation is determined by three principal stresses. In the σZ-dominant stress field, the shape of the plastic zone transforms from butterfly to ellipse, the optimized angle range of the roadway orientation is 50–90°, and the butterfly hidden danger zone is in the 0–50° range. In the σH-dominated stress field, the shape of the plastic zone transits from ellipse to butterfly. The optimized angle range of the roadway orientation is 0–40°, and 50–90° is the butterfly hidden danger zone.

Keywords

• ground stress
• plastic zone morphology
• butterfly destruction
• roadway orientation
• roofing