Macro‐meso damage cracking and energy dissipation of rock‐backfill composites: Effect of cyclic disturbance frequency

Abstract

AbstractThis work aims to reveal the effect of cyclic disturbance frequency, i.e., 0.01, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 Hz, on damage cracking and energy dissipation characteristics of rock‐backfill composite structure specimens. Testing results show that fatigue volumetric strain and secant modulus increase with increasing disturbance frequency; low‐frequency disturbance leads to an earlier volume expansion. In addition, the strain energy density increases with increasing disturbance frequency. Most of the energy are dissipated for the specimen under high‐frequency disturbance. Finally, computed tomography scanning reveals the influence of disturbance frequency on failure modes; tensile‐splitting failure and shear failure are likely to occur at the surrounding rock subjected to high‐ and low‐ frequency disturbances. Low‐frequency‐disturbed stress seems easily to stimulate cracks at the rock‐backfill interfaces and the backfill; the backfill can absorb much more energy than high‐frequency circumstances. It is suggested that the role of backfill in energy absorption, contact support, and stress isolation is disturbance frequency dependent.