Cross-Scale Study of the High-Steep Reservoir Banks under Different Mechanical States

Abstract

Abstract The deformation of high-steep rocky banks is caused by the self-weight of overlying rock mass and the fluctuation of reservoir water. In this paper, the newly developed testing equipment and the particle flow code (PFC) were used to complete the cross-scale study of the high-steep rocky banks under different mechanical states. The test conditions involved the dry state, saturated state, and hydraulic coupling states under different confining pressures. Combined with the micrographs of the fractured surface under different mechanical states, it can be found that the participation of the water could reduce the bond contact and accelerate the deformation of the particles, ultimately leading to an increase in the plastic deformation and a decrease in the peak strength of the rock mass. Compared to the saturated state, the water in the hydraulic coupling state was not transferred though the storage space was compressed; thus, the water pressure would further promote the extension of the microcracks. When considering the fluctuations of the reservoir water, the changes in the mechanical state may accelerate the degradation rate of the rock mass. The related methods can provide data support and a theoretical basis to the evolution trend of high-steep rocky reservoir banks.