• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.45-49
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• 2022

In the present study, a physical model was built for the Jintan underground gas storage cavern group according to the similarity theory. In this regard, four ellipsoid caverns were built with scaled in-situ stresses and internal pressure. Then the stability of underground caverns was analyzed. The obtained results demonstrate that loss of internal pressure adversely affects the safety of caverns and attention should be paid during the operation of gas storage.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.919-933
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• 2017

A series of Brazilian tests under diameter compression for disc specimens was carried out to investigate the strength and failure behavior by using acoustic emission (AE) and photography monitoring technique. On the basis of experimental results, load-displacement curves, AE counts, real-time crack evolution process, failure modes and strength property of granite specimens containing two pre-existing holes were analyzed in detail. Two typical types of load-displacement curves are identified, i.e., sudden instability (type I) and progressive failure (type II). In accordance with the two types of load-displacement curves, the AE events also have different responses. The present experiments on disc specimens containing two pre-existing holes under Brazilian test reveal four distinct failure modes, including diametrical splitting failure mode (mode I), one crack coalescence failure mode (mode II), two crack coalescences failure mode (mode III) and no crack coalescence failure mode (mode IV). Compared with intact granite specimen, the disc specimen containing two holes fails with lower strength, which is closely related to the bridge angle. The failure strength of pre-holed specimen first decreases and then increases with the bridge angle. Finally, a preliminary interpretation was proposed to explain the strength evolution law of granite specimen containing two holes based on the microscopic observation of fracture plane.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.657-670
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• 2016

The energy dissipation of coal under dynamic loads is a major issue in geomechanics and arising extensive concerns recently. In this study, dynamic loading tests of coal were conducted using a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) system, the characteristics of dynamic behavior and energy dissipation of coal were analyzed, and the mechanism of energy dissipation was discussed based on the fracture processes of coal under dynamic loads. Experimental results indicate that the energy dissipation of coal under dynamic loads has a positive linear correlation with both incident energy and dynamic compressive strength, and the correlation coefficients between incident energy, dynamic compressive strength and the energy dissipation rate are 0.74 and 0.98, respectively. Theoretical analysis demonstrates that higher level of stress leads to greater energy released during unstable crack propagation, thus resulting in larger energy dissipation rate of coal under dynamic loads. At last, a semi-empirical energy dissipation model is proposed for describing the positive relationship between dissipated energy and stress.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.177-185
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• 2018

The subsidence mechanism of ground surface is a complex phenomenon when multiple seam coal mining operations are carried out. Particularly, the coal mining beneath karstic formations causes a very special form of subsidence. The subsidence causes elasto-plastic deformation of the karstic layers and the collapse of cavities leads to dolinization and/or sinkhole formation. In this study, a sinkhole with a depth of 90 m and a width of 25 m formed in Gelik district within the coal-basin of Zonguldak (NW, Turkey) induced by multiple seam coal mining operations in the past has been presented as a case-history together with two-dimensional numerical simulations and InSAR monitoring. The computational results proved that the sinkhole was formed as a result of severe yielding in the close vicinity of the faults in contact with karstic formation due to multiple seam longwall mining at different levels.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.76 no.2
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• pp.269-278
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• 2020

In this paper, the mechanical characteristics of the open type hyperbolic-parabolic membrane structure under wind load were investigated. First, the numerical simulation of a typical plane membrane structure was performed based on the Large-Eddy Simulation method. The accuracy of the simulation method was validated by the corresponding wind tunnel test results. Then, the wind load shape coefficients of open type hyperbolic-parabolic membrane structures are obtained from the series of numerical calculations and compared with the recommended values in the "Technical Specification for Membrane Structures (CECS 158: 2015). Finally, the influences of the wind directions and wind speeds on the mean wind pressure distribution of open type hyperbolic-parabolic membrane structures were investigated. This study aims to gain a better understanding of the wind-induced response for this type of structure and be useful to engineers and researchers.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.307-319
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• 2020

The upper chords in half-through truss bridges are prone to buckling due to a lack of the upper transverse connections. Taking into account geometric and material nonlinearity, nonlinear finite-element analysis of a simple supported truss bridge was carried out to exhibit effects of different types of initial imperfections. A half-wave of initial imperfection was proved to be effective in the nonlinear buckling analysis. And a parameter analysis of initial imperfections was also conducted to reveal that the upper chords have the greatest impact on the buckling, followed by the bottom chords, vertical and diagonal web members. Yet initial imperfections of transverse beams have almost no effect on the buckling. Moreover, using influence surface method, the combinatorial effects of initial imperfections were compared to demonstrate that initial imperfections of the upper chords play a leading role. Furthermore, the equivalent effective length coefficients of the upper chord were derived to be 0.2~0.28 by different methods, which implies vertical and diagonal web members still provide effective constraints for the upper chord despite a lack of the upper transverse connections between the two upper chords. Therefore, the geometrical and material nonlinear finite-element method is effective in the buckling analysis due to its higher precision. Based on nonlinear analysis and installation deviations of members, initial imperfection of l/500 is recommended in the nonlinear analysis of half-through truss bridges without initial imperfection investigation.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.195-205
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• 2021

Time effect on the deformation and strength characteristics of geogrid reinforced sand retaining wall has become an important issue in geotechnical and transportation engineering. Three physical model tests on geogrid reinforced sand retaining walls performed under various loading conditions were simulated to study their rate-dependent behaviors, using the presented nonlinear finite element method (FEM) analysis procedure. This FEM was based on the dynamic relaxation method and return mapping scheme, in which the combined effects of the rate-dependent behaviors of both the backfill soil and the geosynthetic reinforcement have been included. The rate-dependent behaviors of sands and geogrids should be attributed to the viscous property of materials, which can be described by the unified three-component elasto-viscoplastic constitutive model. By comparing the FEM simulations and the test results, it can be found that the present FEM was able to be successfully extended to the boundary value problems of geosynthetic reinforced soil retaining walls. The deformation and strength characteristics of the geogrid reinforced sand retaining walls can be well reproduced. Loading rate effect, the trends of jump in footing pressure upon the step-changes in the loading rate, occurred not only on sands and geogrids but also on geogrid reinforced sands retaining walls. The lateral earth pressure distributions against the back of retaining wall, the local tensile force in the geogrid arranged in the retaining wall and the local stresses beneath the footing under various loading conditions can also be predicted well in the FEM simulations.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.273-284
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• 2018

A detailed understanding of the mechanical behaviors for crushed coal rocks after grouting is a key for construction in the broken zones of mining engineering. In this research, experiments of grouting into the crushed coal rock using independently developed test equipment for solving the problem of sampling of crushed coal rocks have been carried out. The application of uniaxial compression was used to approximately simulate the ground stress in real engineering. In combination with the analysis of crack evolution and failure modes for the grouted specimens, the influences of different crushed degrees of coal rock (CDCR) and solidified grout strength (SGS) on the mechanical behavior of grouted specimens under uniaxial compression were investigated. The research demonstrated that first, the UCS of grouted specimens decreased with the decrease in the CDCR at constant SGS (except for the SGS of 12.3 MPa). However, the UCS of grouted specimens for constant CDCR increased when the SGS increased; optimum solidification strengths for grouts between 19.3 and 23.0 MPa were obtained. The elastic moduli of the grouted specimens with different CDCR generally increased with increasing SGS, and the peak axial strain showed a slightly nonlinear decrease with increasing SGS. The supporting effect of the skeleton structure produced by the solidified grouts was increasingly obvious with increasing CDCR and SGS. The possible evolution of internal cracks for the grouted specimens was classified into three stages: (1) cracks initiating along the interfaces between the coal blocks and solidified grouts; (2) cracks initiating and propagating in coal blocks; and (3) cracks continually propagating successively in the interfaces, the coal blocks, and the solidified grouts near the coal blocks. Finally, after the propagation and coalescence of internal cracks through the entire specimens, there were two main failure modes for the failed grouted specimens. These modes included the inclined shear failure occurring in the more crushed coal rock and the splitting failure occurring in the less crushed coal rock. Both modes were different from the single failure mode along the fissure for the fractured coal rock after grouting solidification. However, compared to the brittle failure of intact coal rock, grouting into the different crushed degree coal rocks resulted in ductile deformation after the peak strength for the grouted specimens was attained.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2020

Rock damage is the main cause of accidents in underground engineering. It is difficult to predict rock damage accurately by using only one parameter. In this study, a rock failure prediction model was established by using stress, energy, and damage. The prediction level was divided into three levels according to the ratio of the damage threshold stress to the peak stress. A classification predicting model was established, including the stress, energy, damage and AE impact rate using Bayesian method. Results show that the model is good practicability and effectiveness in predicting the degree of rock failure. On the basis of this, a multi-parameter classification predicting deterioration model of rock failure was established. The results provide a new idea for classifying and predicting rockburst.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.263-274
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• 2009

The modified Cam clay (MCC) model is used to study the response of virgin compressed clay in undrained compression. The MCC deviatoric stress-strain relationship is obtained in closed form. Elastic and plastic deviatoric strains are taken into account in the analysis. For the determination of the elastic strain components, both a variable shear modulus and constant shear modulus are considered. Constitutive relationships are applied to the well-known London and Weald clays sheared in undrained compression.