DEM simulation study on the mechanical and micro-fracture characteristics of jointed coal under direct tensile conditions

Abstract Rock burst events are frequently accompanied by the formation of extensive tensile cracks, with bedding plane dip angles fundamentally determining the tensile strength characteristics, crack propagation, and failure modes of coal measures. This study investigates the influence of bedding pl...

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Main Authors: Herui Zhang, Enyuan Wang, Jianhua Yue, Bin Miao, Danyang Xi, Xiaozhen Teng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-11287-1
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author Herui Zhang
Enyuan Wang
Jianhua Yue
Bin Miao
Danyang Xi
Xiaozhen Teng
author_facet Herui Zhang
Enyuan Wang
Jianhua Yue
Bin Miao
Danyang Xi
Xiaozhen Teng
author_sort Herui Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Rock burst events are frequently accompanied by the formation of extensive tensile cracks, with bedding plane dip angles fundamentally determining the tensile strength characteristics, crack propagation, and failure modes of coal measures. This study investigates the influence of bedding plane angles on the tensile mechanical behavior of coal rocks using PFC2D numerical simulations. Models with four distinct bedding angles (0°, 30°, 60°, 90°) were developed to analyze failure mechanisms under tensile loading. The results demonstrate three key findings: (1) both tensile strength and elastic modulus exhibit positive correlations with increasing bedding angle, with tensile strength showing greater sensitivity compared to the more gradual enhancement of elastic modulus. (2) failure patterns evolve characteristically with bedding orientation: (i) 0° specimens fail through horizontal tensile-shear composite fractures, (ii) 30° models display preferential brittle shear failure along bedding planes, (iii) 60° cases show 78% shear-dominated crack propagation parallel to bedding, while (iv) 90° configurations develop multidirectional cracking networks due to constrained bedding-parallel shear. (3) micromechanical analysis reveals that stress transfer mechanisms transition from loading-axis dominance at low angles (0°-30°), through bedding-aligned force chain concentration at intermediate angles (60°), to complex three-dimensional force redistributions at 90° where matrix-bedding interactions dominate.
format Article
id doaj-art-9cd62e0687c84c569b78718eac9c3fcc
institution Kabale University
issn 2045-2322
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publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
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spelling doaj-art-9cd62e0687c84c569b78718eac9c3fcc2025-08-24T11:19:00ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-08-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-11287-1DEM simulation study on the mechanical and micro-fracture characteristics of jointed coal under direct tensile conditionsHerui Zhang0Enyuan Wang1Jianhua Yue2Bin Miao3Danyang Xi4Xiaozhen Teng5School of Safety Engineering, China University of Mining and TechnologySchool of Safety Engineering, China University of Mining and TechnologySchool of Resources and Geosciences, China University of Mining and TechnologyCollege of Resources, Shandong University of Science and TechnologySchool of Resources and Geosciences, China University of Mining and TechnologySchool of Resources and Geosciences, China University of Mining and TechnologyAbstract Rock burst events are frequently accompanied by the formation of extensive tensile cracks, with bedding plane dip angles fundamentally determining the tensile strength characteristics, crack propagation, and failure modes of coal measures. This study investigates the influence of bedding plane angles on the tensile mechanical behavior of coal rocks using PFC2D numerical simulations. Models with four distinct bedding angles (0°, 30°, 60°, 90°) were developed to analyze failure mechanisms under tensile loading. The results demonstrate three key findings: (1) both tensile strength and elastic modulus exhibit positive correlations with increasing bedding angle, with tensile strength showing greater sensitivity compared to the more gradual enhancement of elastic modulus. (2) failure patterns evolve characteristically with bedding orientation: (i) 0° specimens fail through horizontal tensile-shear composite fractures, (ii) 30° models display preferential brittle shear failure along bedding planes, (iii) 60° cases show 78% shear-dominated crack propagation parallel to bedding, while (iv) 90° configurations develop multidirectional cracking networks due to constrained bedding-parallel shear. (3) micromechanical analysis reveals that stress transfer mechanisms transition from loading-axis dominance at low angles (0°-30°), through bedding-aligned force chain concentration at intermediate angles (60°), to complex three-dimensional force redistributions at 90° where matrix-bedding interactions dominate.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-11287-1Coal rockBedding anglePFCTensile strengthFailure modeForce chain characteristics
spellingShingle Herui Zhang
Enyuan Wang
Jianhua Yue
Bin Miao
Danyang Xi
Xiaozhen Teng
DEM simulation study on the mechanical and micro-fracture characteristics of jointed coal under direct tensile conditions
Scientific Reports
Coal rock
Bedding angle
PFC
Tensile strength
Failure mode
Force chain characteristics
title DEM simulation study on the mechanical and micro-fracture characteristics of jointed coal under direct tensile conditions
title_full DEM simulation study on the mechanical and micro-fracture characteristics of jointed coal under direct tensile conditions
title_fullStr DEM simulation study on the mechanical and micro-fracture characteristics of jointed coal under direct tensile conditions
title_full_unstemmed DEM simulation study on the mechanical and micro-fracture characteristics of jointed coal under direct tensile conditions
title_short DEM simulation study on the mechanical and micro-fracture characteristics of jointed coal under direct tensile conditions
title_sort dem simulation study on the mechanical and micro fracture characteristics of jointed coal under direct tensile conditions
topic Coal rock
Bedding angle
PFC
Tensile strength
Failure mode
Force chain characteristics
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-11287-1
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AT jianhuayue demsimulationstudyonthemechanicalandmicrofracturecharacteristicsofjointedcoalunderdirecttensileconditions
AT binmiao demsimulationstudyonthemechanicalandmicrofracturecharacteristicsofjointedcoalunderdirecttensileconditions
AT danyangxi demsimulationstudyonthemechanicalandmicrofracturecharacteristicsofjointedcoalunderdirecttensileconditions
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