Anisotropic failure evaluation and microcracking evolution discrete element simulation of rock discontinuities

Abstract The stability of slopes and tunnels is controlled by rock discontinuities, and the rock discontinuities roughness and the sliding direction play a significant role in shear failure. However, three-dimensional roughness evaluation considering shear directions is scare, and the internal shear...

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Main Authors: Zhi Zheng, Shouxin Li, Benguo He, Chuanqi Zhu, Qiang Zhang, Yaohui Gao, Shengjie Di
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-07-01
Series:International Journal of Coal Science & Technology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s40789-025-00776-3
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author Zhi Zheng
Shouxin Li
Benguo He
Chuanqi Zhu
Qiang Zhang
Yaohui Gao
Shengjie Di
author_facet Zhi Zheng
Shouxin Li
Benguo He
Chuanqi Zhu
Qiang Zhang
Yaohui Gao
Shengjie Di
author_sort Zhi Zheng
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The stability of slopes and tunnels is controlled by rock discontinuities, and the rock discontinuities roughness and the sliding direction play a significant role in shear failure. However, three-dimensional roughness evaluation considering shear directions is scare, and the internal shear fracturing processes, micromechanical mechanisms and failure precursor of rock discontinuities are not well understood. Therefore, this study proposes a novel roughness evaluation index to quantitatively analyze the anisotropic characteristics of rock discontinuities. In conjunction with shear tests, a novel 3D-GBM modelling method considering the micromineral constituent and particle size distribution characteristics of granite as well as the geometric shape of discontinuities was realized. The strength, macro and micro-fracture characteristics, visual anisotropic shear evolution process and microfailure mechanism of granite discontinuities at different roughness and shear direction were investigated. Finally, the spatial and temporal evolutions of AE parameter b-value and magnitude M were further analyzed to reveal the shear fracture precursor of granite discontinuities.
format Article
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institution DOAJ
issn 2095-8293
2198-7823
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher SpringerOpen
record_format Article
series International Journal of Coal Science & Technology
spelling doaj-art-2e38942ca65c42b39e93a336242916f62025-08-20T03:04:11ZengSpringerOpenInternational Journal of Coal Science & Technology2095-82932198-78232025-07-0112113710.1007/s40789-025-00776-3Anisotropic failure evaluation and microcracking evolution discrete element simulation of rock discontinuitiesZhi Zheng0Shouxin Li1Benguo He2Chuanqi Zhu3Qiang Zhang4Yaohui Gao5Shengjie Di6Key Laboratory of Disaster Prevention and Structural Safety of Ministry of Education, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Disaster Prevention and Engineering Safety, College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Guangxi UniversityKey Laboratory of Disaster Prevention and Structural Safety of Ministry of Education, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Disaster Prevention and Engineering Safety, College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Guangxi UniversityKey Laboratory of Ministry of Education on Safe Mining of Deep Metal Mines, Northeastern UniversityState Key Laboratory of Mining Response and Disaster Prevention and Control in Deep Coal MinesState Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower ResearchPowerChina Huadong Engineering Corporation LimitedPowerChina Northwest Engineering Corporation LimitedAbstract The stability of slopes and tunnels is controlled by rock discontinuities, and the rock discontinuities roughness and the sliding direction play a significant role in shear failure. However, three-dimensional roughness evaluation considering shear directions is scare, and the internal shear fracturing processes, micromechanical mechanisms and failure precursor of rock discontinuities are not well understood. Therefore, this study proposes a novel roughness evaluation index to quantitatively analyze the anisotropic characteristics of rock discontinuities. In conjunction with shear tests, a novel 3D-GBM modelling method considering the micromineral constituent and particle size distribution characteristics of granite as well as the geometric shape of discontinuities was realized. The strength, macro and micro-fracture characteristics, visual anisotropic shear evolution process and microfailure mechanism of granite discontinuities at different roughness and shear direction were investigated. Finally, the spatial and temporal evolutions of AE parameter b-value and magnitude M were further analyzed to reveal the shear fracture precursor of granite discontinuities.https://doi.org/10.1007/s40789-025-00776-3Rock discontinuitiesDirect shear testAnisotropic failure evaluationDiscrete element simulation3D grain-based modelPrecursor analysis
spellingShingle Zhi Zheng
Shouxin Li
Benguo He
Chuanqi Zhu
Qiang Zhang
Yaohui Gao
Shengjie Di
Anisotropic failure evaluation and microcracking evolution discrete element simulation of rock discontinuities
International Journal of Coal Science & Technology
Rock discontinuities
Direct shear test
Anisotropic failure evaluation
Discrete element simulation
3D grain-based model
Precursor analysis
title Anisotropic failure evaluation and microcracking evolution discrete element simulation of rock discontinuities
title_full Anisotropic failure evaluation and microcracking evolution discrete element simulation of rock discontinuities
title_fullStr Anisotropic failure evaluation and microcracking evolution discrete element simulation of rock discontinuities
title_full_unstemmed Anisotropic failure evaluation and microcracking evolution discrete element simulation of rock discontinuities
title_short Anisotropic failure evaluation and microcracking evolution discrete element simulation of rock discontinuities
title_sort anisotropic failure evaluation and microcracking evolution discrete element simulation of rock discontinuities
topic Rock discontinuities
Direct shear test
Anisotropic failure evaluation
Discrete element simulation
3D grain-based model
Precursor analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s40789-025-00776-3
work_keys_str_mv AT zhizheng anisotropicfailureevaluationandmicrocrackingevolutiondiscreteelementsimulationofrockdiscontinuities
AT shouxinli anisotropicfailureevaluationandmicrocrackingevolutiondiscreteelementsimulationofrockdiscontinuities
AT benguohe anisotropicfailureevaluationandmicrocrackingevolutiondiscreteelementsimulationofrockdiscontinuities
AT chuanqizhu anisotropicfailureevaluationandmicrocrackingevolutiondiscreteelementsimulationofrockdiscontinuities
AT qiangzhang anisotropicfailureevaluationandmicrocrackingevolutiondiscreteelementsimulationofrockdiscontinuities
AT yaohuigao anisotropicfailureevaluationandmicrocrackingevolutiondiscreteelementsimulationofrockdiscontinuities
AT shengjiedi anisotropicfailureevaluationandmicrocrackingevolutiondiscreteelementsimulationofrockdiscontinuities