• Computers and Concrete
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.639-653
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• 2016

The present article discusses the effect of the ratio of bridge surface to total shear surface, number of bridge areas and normal stress on the failure behavior of the planar non-persistent open joints. Totally, 38 models were prepared using plaster and dimensions of $15cm{\times}15cm{\times}15cm$. The bridge area occupied $45cm^2$, $90cm^2$ and $135cm^2$ out of the shear surface. The number of rock bridges increase in fixed area. Two similar samples were prepared on every variation in the rock bridges and tested for direct shear strength under two high and low normal loads. The results indicated that the failure pattern and the failure mechanism is mostly influenced by the ratio of bridge surface to total shear surface and normal stress so that the tensile failure mode change to shear failure mode by increasing in the value of introduced parameters. Furthermore, the shear strength and shear stiffness are closely related to the ratio of bridge surface to total shear surface, number of bridge areas and normal stress.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.481-495
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• 2021

This article assesses and estimates the progressive failure mechanism of complex pit-rest secondary toppling of slopes that are located within the vicinity of the Gas Flare Site of Refinery No. 4 in South Pars Special Zone (SPSZ), southwest Iran. The finite element numerical procedure based on the Shear Strength Reduction (SSR) technique has been employed for the stability analysis. In this regard, several step modelling stages that were conducted to evaluate the slope stability status revealed that the main instability was situated on the left-hand side (western) slope in the Flare Site. The toppling was related to the rock column-overburden system in relation to the overburden pressure on the rock columns which led to the progressive instability of the slope. This load transfer from the overburden has most probably led to the separation of the rock column and to its rotation downstream of the slope in the form of a complex pit-rest secondary toppling. According to the numerical modelling, it was determined that the Strength Reduction Factor (SRF) decreased substantially from 5.68 to less than 0.320 upon progressive failure. The estimated shear and normal stresses in the block columns ranged from 1.74 MPa to 8.46 MPa, and from 1.47 MPa to 16.8 MPa, respectively. In addition, the normal and shear displacements in the block columns ranged from 0.00609 m to 0.173 m and from 0.0109 m to 0.793 m, respectively.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.443-455
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• 2023

This is a research analyses on the bearing capacity at a pile tip embedded in rock. The aim is to propose a shape coefficient for an analytical solution and to investigate the influence of the plastic flow law on the problem. For this purpose, the finite difference method is used to analyze the bearing capacity of various types and states of rock masses, assuming the Hoek & Brown failure criterion, by considering both plane strain and an axisymmetric model. Different geometrical configurations were adopted for this analysis. First, the axisymmetric numerical results were compared with those obtained from the plane strain analytical solution. Then the pile shape influence on the bearing capacity was studied. A shape factor is now proposed. Furthermore, an evaluation was done on the influence of the plastic flow law on the pile tip bearing capacity. Associative flow and non-associative flow with null dilatancy were considered, resulting in a proposed correlation. A total of 324 cases were simulated, performing a sensitivity analysis on the results and using the graphic output of vertical displacement and maximum principal stress to understand how the failure mechanism occurs in the numerical model.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.139-160
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• 2017

The bearing mechanism of tunnel-type anchorage (TTA) for suspension bridges is studied. Model tests are conducted using different shapes of plug bodies, which are circular column shape and circular truncated cone shape. The results show that the plug body of the latter shape possesses much larger bearing capacity, namely 4.48 times at elastic deformation stage and 4.54 times at failure stage compared to the former shape. Numerical simulation is then conducted to understand the mechanical and structural responses of plug body and surrounding rock mass. The mechanical parameters of the surrounding rock mass are firstly back-analyzed based on the monitoring data. The calculation laws of deformation and equivalent plastic strain show that the numerical simulation results are rational and provide subsequent mechanism analysis with an established basis. Afterwards, the bearing mechanism of TTA is studied. It is concluded that the plug body of circular truncated cone shape is able to take advantage of the material strength of the surrounding rock mass, which greatly enhances its bearing capacity. The ultimate bearing capacity of TTA, therefore, is concluded to be determined by the material strength of surrounding rock mass. Finally, recommendations for TTA design are proposed and discussed.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.15 no.4 s.57
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• pp.250-263
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• 2005

Progressive and localized brittle failures around an excavated opening by the overstressed condition can act as a serious obstacle to ensure the stability and the economical efficiency of construction work. In this paper, the characteristics of the brittle failure around an circular opening with stress level was studied by the biaxial compressive test using sealed specimen and by the numerical simulation with $PFC^{2D}$, one of the discrete element codes. The occurring pattern and shape of the brittle failure around a circular opening monitored during the biaxial loading were well coincided with those of the stress induced failures around the excavated openings observed in the brittle rock masses. The crack development stages with stress level were evaluated by the detailed analysis on the acoustic emission event properties. The microcrack development process around a circular opening was successfully visualized by the particle flow analysis. It indicated that the scaled test had a good feasibility in understanding the mechanism of the brittle failure around an opening with a high reliability.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2003.03a
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• pp.499-502
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to understand the sliding characteristics of the infilling-joint surface using the new devised shear test apparatus with changeable slope for the original infilling materials and the infilling materials experienced cyclic freezing-thawing processes. Three types of the mother rock classified as the igneous rock, the metamorphic rock and the sedimentary rock and the infilling materials were collected for laboratory test. The cohesion according to the slope change of the rock joint shows large variation within ${\pm}$5 degrees but the internal friction angle shows appears the linear decreasing tendency. It is confirmed that the affecting factor of slope change of rock joint at the behavior of rock mass is larger than that of the infilling thickness. Test results show that the cohesion and the internal friction angle in 100 times of cyclic freezing-thawing processes are decreased about 50 percent compared with original one. A further study using various infillings materials would lead to a better understanding of the failure mechanism of rock mass by slope change of rock joint.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.35-47
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• 2018

This paper investigates the mechanisms of tunnel spalling and massive tunnel failures using fracture mechanics principles. The study starts with examining the fracture propagation due to tensile and shear failure mechanisms. It was found that, fundamentally, in rock masses with high compressive stresses, tensile fracture propagation is often a stable process which leads to a gradual failure. Shear fracture propagation tends to be an unstable process. Several real case observations of spalling failures and massive shear failures in boreholes, tunnels and underground roadways are shown in the paper. A number of numerical models were used to investigate the fracture mechanisms and extents in the roof/wall of a deep tunnel and in an underground coal mine roadway. The modelling was done using a unique fracture mechanics code FRACOD which simulates explicitly the fracture initiation and propagation process. The study has demonstrated that both tensile and shear fracturing may occur in the vicinity of an underground opening. Shallow spalling in the tunnel wall is believed to be caused by tensile fracturing from extensional strain although no tensile stress exists there. Massive large scale failure however is most likely to be caused by shear fracturing under high compressive stresses. The observation that tunnel spalling often starts when the hoop stress reaches $0.4^*UCS$ has been explained in this paper by using the extension strain criterion. At this uniaxial compressive stress level, the lateral extensional strain is equivalent to the critical strain under uniaxial tension. Scale effect on UCS commonly believed by many is unlikely the dominant factor in this phenomenon.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.16 no.4 s.63
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• pp.313-325
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• 2006

In this study, scaled model tests were performed to investigate the deformation behaviors around tunnels located in anisotropic rocks. Fifteen types of test models which had respectively different joint angles and rock pressure conditions were made, where the modelling materials were the mixture of sand, plaster and water. All of the tested models showed the shear failure mechanism at the stress-concentrated regions and sliding phenomena according to the joint planes. The direction of joint inclination turned out to have great effect on the tunnel deformation behaviors. The models of joint inclination less than $30^{\circ}$ showed considerable floor heavings. The model of $50^{\circ}$ joint inclination showed the least tunnel convergence among the tested models regardless of rock pressure condition, so that it was thought as the most stable model. Furthermore, the failure mechanisms and deformation behaviors of tunnel models were strongly dependent on the coefficient of rock pressure.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.421-434
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• 2019

It is of great significance to study the mechanical properties and failure mechanism of the defected rock for geological engineering. The defected sandstone modeling with power-law distribution of pre-cracks was built in this paper by Particle Flow Code software. Then the mechanical properties of sandstone and the corresponding failure process were meticulously analyzed by changing the power-law index (PLI) and the number of pre-cracks (NPC). The results show that (1) With the increase of the PLI, the proportion of prefabricated long cracks gradually decreases. (2) When the NPC is the same, the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of sandstone increases with the PLI; while when the PLI is the same, the UCS decreases with the NPC. (3) The damage model of rock strength is established based on the Mori-Tanaka method, which can be used to better describe the strength evolution of damaged rock. (4) The failure mode of the specimen is closely related to the total length of the pre-crack. As the total length of the pre-crack increases, the failure intensity of the specimen gradually becomes weaker. In addition, for the specimens with the total pre-crack length between 0.2-0.55 m, significant lateral expansion occurred during their failure process. (5) For the specimens with smaller PLI in the pre-peak loading process, the concentration of the force field inside is more serious than that of the specimens with larger PLI.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.123-138
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• 2022

Present study computes the ultimate bearing capacity of an embedded strip footing situated on the rock slope subjected to seismic loading. Influences of embedment depth of strip footing, horizontal seismic acceleration coefficient, rock slope angle, Geological Strength Index, normalized uniaxial compressive strength of rock mass, disturbance factor, and Hoek-Brown material constant are studied in detail. To perform the analysis, the lower bound finite element limit analysis method in combination with the semidefinite programming is utilized. From the results of the present study, it can be found that the magnitude of the bearing capacity factor reduces quite substantially with an increment in the seismic loading. In addition, with the increment in slope angle, further reduction in the value of the bearing capacity factor is observed. On the other hand, with an increment in the embedment depth, an increment in the value of the bearing capacity factor is found. Stress contours are presented to describe the combined failure mechanism of the footing-rock slope system in the presence of static as well as seismic loadings for the different embedment depths.