Damage and Failure Characteristics of Surrounding Rock in Deep Circular Cavern under Cyclic Dynamic Load: A True Triaxial Experiment Investigation

Abstract

For ensuring safety and efficiency during the construction of deep engineering, it is essential to explore the failure mode of the surrounding rock mass under dynamic disturbance and high geo-stress. We conducted true triaxial load tests for rock-like material with a preexisting circular hole, and monitored the acoustic emission (AE) signal during the whole test. The result demonstrates the evolution characteristics of damage and failure mode with different cyclic dynamic load amplitudes and intermediate principal stress. With the increase in cyclic dynamic load amplitude or the decrease in intermediate principal stress, the failure source mainly occurs at the two horizontal side walls of the surrounding rock where the failure patterns change from the slabbing to wall caving and, finally, to rockburst. The former failure mode can actually serve as an important precursor for the latter. Based on such mechanisms, the precursor can be indirectly detected in forms of AE signal released by microcracking. The research can provide a reliable guidance for the rock stability control and faithfully forecasting the larger-scale failure during the excavation of deep circular cavern.