Laboratory modelling of shear behaviour of soft joints under constant normal stiffness conditions

Shear behaviour of regular sawtooth rock joints produced from casting plaster are investigated under constant normal stiffness (CNS) conditions. Test results obtained in this investigation are also compared with the constant normal load (CNL) tests. It is observed that the peak shear stress obtained under CNL conditions always underestimates the peak shear stress corresponding to the CNS condition. Plots of shear stress against normal stress show that a nonlinear (curved) strength envelope is acceptable for soft rock joints subjected to a CNS condition, in comparison with the linear or bilinear envelopes often proposed for a CNL condition. Models proposed by Patton (1966) and Barton (1973) have also been considered for the predictions of peak shear stress of soft joints under CNS conditions. Although Patton's model is appropriate for low asperity angles, it overestimates the shear strength in the low to medium normal stress range at higher asperity angles. In contrast, while Barton's model is realistic for the CNL condition, it seems to be inappropriate for modelling the shear behaviour of soft joints under CNS conditions. The effect of infill material on the shear behaviour of the model joints is also investigated, and it is found that a small thickness of bentonite infill reduces the peak stress significantly. The peak shear stress almost approached that of the shear strength of infill when the infill thickness to asperity height ratio (t/a) reached 1.40. This paper also introduces an original, empirical shear strength envelope to account for the change in normal stress and surface degradation during CNS shearing. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998     

Critical review on shear strength models for soil-infilled joints

An infilled rock joint is likely to be the weakest plane in a rock mass. The presence of infill material within the joint significantly reduces the friction of the discontinuity boundaries (i.e. rock to rock contact of the joint walls). The thicker the infill, the smaller the shear strength of the rock joint. Once the infill reaches a critical thickness, the infill material governs the overall shear strength, and the joint walls (rock) play no significant role. Several models have been proposed to predict the peak shear strength of soil-infilled joints under both constant normal load (CNL) and constant normal stiffness (CNS) boundary conditions, taking into account the ratio of infill thickness (t) to the height of the joint wall asperity (a). CNS models provide a more realistic picture of the soil-infilled joint behaviour in the field. This paper presents a critical review on the existing mathematical models for predicting the shear strength of soil-infilled rock joint and verifies the normalised peak shear stress model with further laboratory investigations carried out on idealised saw-tooth rock joints at the University of Wollongong. Based on the prediction of the experimental data, the normalised peak shear stress model is slightly modified by the authors. A simplified approach for using this model in practice is presented and a new expression for prediction of dilatation at peak shear stress is suggested.     

循环剪切荷载作用下岩石节理变形特性试验研究

以水泥砂浆为相似材料,制备3种岩壁强度、5种起伏角度的锯齿型节理试样;利用试验设备,进行了在4种法向应力下的循环剪切试验。根据试验结果,结合循环剪切试验特点,定义剪胀角来表征节理循环剪切的法向变形特性,以及剪切刚度来表征节理循环剪切的切向变形特性。基于不同起伏角、不同强度等级和不同法向应力下的节理试样循环剪切试验结果,分析了循环剪切过程中剪胀角和剪切刚度的变化规律;并利用不同条件下的试验结果,对比分析初始起伏角度、法向应力、岩壁强度对节理循环剪切变形特性的影响规律。研究发现：剪胀角、剪切刚度均随着剪切循环次数的增加而呈现先快、后慢的降低趋势,并且中低起伏角度节理的剪胀角、剪切刚度的降低趋势随着初始起伏角度、法向应力的增加而加快,随着岩壁强度增加而变慢,高起伏角度节理的剪胀角、剪切刚度的降低趋势基本保持不变。     

The Influence of Shearing Velocity on Shear Behavior of Artificial Joints

In this paper, the effects of shear velocity on the shearing behavior of artificial joints have been studied at different normal stress levels. Here, artificial joints with planar and rough surfaces were prepared with the plaster (simulating soft rock joints) and concrete (medium-hard rock joints) materials. The rough joints had triangular shaped asperities with 10° and 20° inclination angles. Direct shear tests were performed on these joints under various shear velocities in the range of 0.3–30 mm/min. The planar plaster–plaster and planer concrete–concrete joints were sheared at three levels of normal stress under constant normal load boundary condition. Also, the rough plaster–plaster and concrete–concrete joints were sheared at one level of normal stress under constant normal stiffness boundary condition. The results of the shear tests show that the shearing parameters of joints, such as shear strength, shear stiffness and friction angle, are related to the shear velocity. Shear strength of planar and rough plaster–plaster joints were decreased when the shear velocity was increased. Shear strength of concrete joints, except for rough joints with 10° inclination, increased with increasing shear velocity. Regardless of the normal stress level, shear stiffness of both planar plaster–plaster and concrete–concrete joints were decreased when the shear velocity was increased.     

An Elasto-Plastic Constitutive Model for Rock Joints Under Cyclic Loading and Constant Normal Stiffness Conditions

An elasto-plastic constitutive model is introduced for rock joints under cyclic loading, considering the additional shear resistance generated by the asperity damage in the first forward shear cycle and sliding mechanism for further shearing. A series of cyclic loading direct shear tests was conducted on artificial joints with triangular asperities and replicas of a real rock asperity surface under constant normal stiffness (CNS) conditions. The model was calibrated and then validated using selected data sets from the experimental results. Model simulations were found to be in good agreement with the rock joints behaviour under cyclic loading and CNS conditions both in stress prediction and dilation behaviour. In addition, dynamic stability analysis of an underground structure was carried out, using Universal Distinct Element Code and the proposed constitutive model.     

不同边界条件下剪切速率对类岩石节理剪切力学特性的影响

为研究不同边界条件下剪切速率对岩石节理剪切力学特性的影响,采用RDS-200型岩石节理剪切试验系统对人工浇筑的具有相同节理形貌的不规则水泥节理试样进行了常法向应力和常法向刚度2种边界条件下5种剪切速率的直剪试验。结果表明：（1）常法向应力边界条件下,随剪切速率增大,相同法向应力下的类岩石节理峰前剪切刚度减速增大,峰值剪切强度和残余剪切强度呈对数降低;随剪切速率增大,类岩石节理黏聚力减速增大,内摩擦角呈对数降低。（2）常法向刚度边界条件下,随剪切速率增大,相同法向应力的类岩石节理峰前剪切刚度减速增大,峰值剪切强度呈对数降低,较高法向应力下的残余剪切强度先增大后减小;随剪切速率增大,类岩石节理黏聚力呈对数降低,内摩擦角减速增大。（3）与常法向应力边界条件相比,常法向刚度条件下,节理黏聚力平均增加了115.85%,内摩擦角平均降低了8.44%;相同初始法向应力和剪切速率下,峰前剪切刚度、峰值剪切强度和残余剪切强度分别平均增加了11.96%、19.47%和32.32%,峰值法向位移平均降低了40.12%。该研究结论可为不同剪切速率下地表和地下工程岩体节理的剪切失稳评价提供一定参考。     

循环剪切荷载作用下含二阶起伏体模拟岩石节理力学特性研究

利用人工材料浇注含二阶起伏体的模拟岩石节理试样,进行常法向荷载循环剪切试验,研究节理剪切力学特性在循环剪切过程中的劣化规律。试验结果表明：二阶起伏体对节理循环剪切力学特性有重要影响,剪切强度、剪切刚度、剪胀角随剪切循环次数增大而衰减,衰减趋势随着二阶起伏度的增大而加快;法向应力、二阶起伏度较大时,二阶起伏体对剪切力学特性的影响主要体现在第1轮剪切循环中,在随后的剪切循环中影响不明显;法向应力、二阶起伏度较小时,二阶起伏体的影响在前几轮循环剪切过程中均有较清晰的体现。基于Hertz接触力学理论,提出了节理面微凸体球面接触细观模型,揭示了节理循环剪切宏观试验现象的力学机制     

砂土充填大理岩节理的剪切强度经验公式

为研究砂土充填对节理抗剪强度的影响,利用GCTS（RDS?200型）岩石剪切测试系统对4种不同摩擦系数砂土充填的粉晶大理岩节理进行了直剪试验。结果表明：相同法向应力下,未充填节理的峰值剪切应力大于充填节理的峰值剪切应力,说明砂土的存在降低了节理的剪切强度;由节理面三维形貌参数最大谷深 表征节理面粗糙程度,得到了未充填节理的峰值剪切强度公式,公式预测值与试验值基本吻合;得到了用充填砂土摩擦系数表达的充填节理峰值剪切强度公式,公式预测值与试验值较为吻合。研究结论对充填节理岩体稳定性评价具有一定指导意义。     

The application of energy principles to the determination of the sliding resistance of rock joints

Summary Energy principles have previously been applied to the analysis of rock joints in order to determine the shear strength of dilatant joints (Ladanyi and Archambault, 1970). This work was based on the analysis of regular triangular asperities and assumed that the asperities were rigid. In recognition of the difficulty of measuring a representative asperity angle in natural, complex rock joints, Ladanyi and Archambault extended their results to natural joints by assuming the equality of joint dilation rate and the effective joint asperity angle. It is shown that the assumption of this equality is not universally valid, and that it may lead to an underestimation of joint shear strength. Further, the effective friction angle for joints in an elastic rock mass, for joints comprising asperities of varying inclination, for post-peak shear displacements and for joints in degradable rock are all analysed using extensions of Ladanyi and Archambault's approach.     

Some Effects of Shearing Velocity on the Shear Stress-Deformation Behaviour of Hard–Soft Artificial Material Interfaces

Shear behaviour of the joints formed by the interface of two different material types, such as rock and cemented paste backfill, rock and concrete or two different rock types, have practical importance in many rock engineering activities. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation into the shear behaviour of these special joints under pseudo-static shear velocity. Direct shear tests on concrete–plaster interfaces were carried out under boundary conditions of constant normal load and constant normal stiffness. Shearing velocities of the performed tests were in the range of 0.3–30 mm/min. The results of the shear tests conducted on the planar and rough artificial prepared joints showed that the shearing velocity has a significant influence on the shear strength, friction angle and shear stiffness of the hard–soft material interface. So that, these parameters were decreased when shear velocity was increased. Also, comparison of the tests results that performed on the concrete–plaster joints with those from tests on the plaster–plaster and concrete–concrete interfaces showed that the shear behaviour of concrete–plaster interface is governed mainly by the shear parameters of the plaster block (namely softer material).     

Mechanical response of discontinuities of different joint wall contact strengths

An intensive investigation was set up to study the mechanical response of discontinuities with different joint wall compressive strengths. Physical models were employed in order to perform the planned studies. Models were designed to contain profiles of regular artificial joints molded by five types of plaster mortars each of which representing a distinct uniaxial compressive strength. The compressive strengths of plaster specimens ranged from 5.9 to 19.5 MPa. These specimens were prepared considering to have discontinuities of regular triangular asperity profile and were so designed to achieve joint walls of different strength material combinations. Direct shear tests were carried out on joints, and variations of shear stiffness, normal stiffness, and residual friction angle were investigated in various states. Details of the experiments, obtained data, the performed analyses, and the results are presented in this paper.     

Study of rock joints under cyclic loading conditions

Summary A conceptual model for the behaviour of rock joints during cyclic shear and under constant normal stresses was proposed according to results from shear tests with 50 concrete replicas of rock joints. The shear strength and deformability of joint samples were found to be both anisotropic and stress dependent. Based on these experimental results, a two-dimensional constitutive model was developed for rock joints undergoing monotonic or cyclic loading sequences. The joint model was formulated in the framework of non-associated plasticity, coupled with empirical relations representing the surface roughness degradation, appearance of peak and residual shear stresses, different rates of dilatancy and contraction, variable normal stiffness with normal deformation, and dependence of shear strength and deformability on the normal stress. The second law of thermodynamics was represented by an inequality and used to restrict the values of some of the material parameters in the joint model. The new joint model was implemented into a two-dimensional Distinct Element Method Code, UDEC, and its predictions agreed well with some well-known test results.     

Failure Characteristics of Complicated Random Jointed Rock Mass Under Compressive-Shear Loading

Most natural rock masses contain a large number of random joints and fissures, and most of the rock masses at the rock engineering are commonly in both compression and shear stress environment. However, the research on the failure characteristics of complex random jointed rock mass under compressive-shear loading is still limited. To address this gap, this paper uses the particle flow code 2D to establish a discrete fractured rock mass model and carry out a series of numerical tests with different compressive-shear angles (α) and different joint geometric parameters. The effects of compressive-shear angle and joint geometric parameters on the strength and failure characteristics of fractured rock masses are studied. The results indicate that with the increase of α, the peak strength of the specimen decreases gradually, and the failure mode changes from the composite shear failure mode (Mode-I) to a plane shear failure mode (Mode-II) and then to intact shear failure mode (Mode-III). Specifically, the three failure modes occur in the specimens with α?=?15°, 30° or 45°, 60°, respectively. The existence of joints affects stress distribution on rock mass during the loading process. Furthermore, the stress at the joint tip is relatively concentrated, while on both sides of the joint is smaller. Three kinds of crack coalescence patterns are observed: tensile, shear, and tensile-shear mixed coalescence. The inclination angle of the rock bridge between adjacent joints affects the specific type of coalescence.

     

峰前循环剪切作用下岩石节理剪切力学特性

微震、工程爆破等低应力循环剪切荷载作用对节理岩体工程失稳破坏具有重要影响。为研究峰前循环剪切加卸载作用下岩石节理剪切力学特性,采用RDS-200型岩石节理剪切试验系统对人工劈裂黄砂岩节理进行了峰前循环剪切下的直剪试验。通过与未进行峰前循环剪切加卸载时岩石节理力学参数预测值对比,得到峰前循环剪切加卸载作用对峰前剪切刚度、峰值剪切强度、峰值剪切位移与残余剪切强度的影响。结果表明：（1）峰前循环剪切加卸载后,当法向应力为2 MPa时,岩石节理峰前剪切刚度增大,当法向应力为4～10 MPa时,岩石节理峰前剪切刚度在循环剪切应力幅值范围内增大,在超出循环剪切应力幅值时减小;（2）峰前循环剪切加卸载后,峰值剪切强度降低了10%～20%,降低百分比随法向应力增大整体呈对数函数增大;峰值剪切位移增加了2%～40%,增加百分比随法向应力增大整体呈对数函数减小;（3）峰前循环剪切加卸载后,岩石节理残余剪切强度无明显变化,峰值剪切强度与残余剪切强度差值减小,峰后剪切应力做功损失百分比降低。     

Numerical Investigations of the Dynamic Shear Behavior of Rough Rock Joints

The dynamic shear behavior of rock joints is significant to both rock engineering and earthquake dynamics. With the discrete element method (DEM), the dynamic direct-shear tests on the rough rock joints with 3D (sinusoidal or random) surface morphologies are simulated and discussed. Evolution of the friction coefficient with the slip displacement shows that the 3D DEM joint model can accurately reproduce the initial strengthening, slip-weakening, and steady-sliding responses of real rock joints. Energy analyses show that the strengthening and weakening behavior of the rock joint are mainly attributed to the rapid accumulation and release of the elastic energy in the joint. Then, effects of the surface roughness and the normal stress on the friction coefficient and the micro shear deformation mechanisms, mainly volume change and asperity damage, of the rock joint are investigated. The results show that the peak friction coefficient increases logarithmically with the increasing surface roughness, but decreases exponentially with the increasing normal stress. In addition, the rougher rock joint exhibits both higher joint dilation and asperity degradation. However, high normal stress constrains the joint dilation, but promotes the degree of asperity degradation significantly. Lastly, the effects of the 3D surface morphology on the shear behavior of the rock joint are investigated with a directional roughness parameter. It is observed that the anisotropy of the surface roughness consequently results in the variation of the peak friction coefficient of the joint corresponding to different shearing directions as well as the micro shear deformation mechanisms, e.g., the extent of joint dilation.     

重复剪切作用下充填物对结构面力学性质的影响

目前,对于结构面的研究主要包括对剪切曲线形态的描述及结构面粗糙度、组数、充填物等因素对结构面强度参数的影响,一般情况下,这类研究的基础是结构面经受静荷载的作用。实际上,结构面也很容易遭受地震、水位升降、爆破等动力荷载的反复剪切作用,但是,至今对反复剪切作用下结构面力学特性的研究较少或缺乏系统性。笔者在室内直剪试验的基础上,研究了重复剪切作用下充填物对结构面变形和强度的影响。采用钢制模具和混凝土材料预制4种起伏角度结构面,在1.56MPa法向应力和两种充填状态下进行多次直剪试验,分析每次剪切过程中的切向应力和法向位移随切向位移的变化。通过对切向应力和法向位移随切向位移变化曲线分析可知,初次剪切时,起伏角度越大,结构面剪切破坏方式容易从滑移破坏过渡为剪断破坏;第二次剪切开始,无论起伏角度如何,结构面的剪切破坏方式基本上都转变为滑移破坏;充填物的存在基本不会改变结构面的剪切破坏方式,但会使剪切过程中结构面的爬坡效应增强,使结构面被剪断或磨损的作用减弱,峰值法向位移增大。     

岩石节理在固定法向压力刚度条件下的剪切理论研究

节理在固定法向压力刚度（CNS）条件下的剪切过程比较复杂,剪切中由于剪胀的存在使得法向压力增大,而法向压力的增加又限制了剪胀的发生。根据CNS剪切过程中某一瞬时状态下法向压应力大小,以节理在该法向压应力下法向剪胀位移与剪切位移的关系为基础,建立一个楔形物理模型。通过循环迭代求得CNS剪切过程中每一步的法向压应力值,进而得到整个过程的剪切应力值。通过该模型,讨论了节理各参数对CNS剪切过程的影响,结果表明,其剪切应力值受法向压应力刚度与节理法向变形参数共同协调控制（包括单轴压缩变形及剪胀角的磨损）,节理在剪切过程中越不易发生压缩变形,其剪切应力值越大。     

A Constitutive Model for Shear Behavior of Rock Joints Based on Three-Dimensional Quantification of Joint Roughness

A new constitutive model to describe the shear behavior of rock joints under constant normal stiffness (CNS) and constant normal load (CNL) conditions is proposed. The model was developed using an empirical approach based on the results of a total of 362 direct shear tests on tensile fractured rock joints and replicas of tensile joints and on a new quantitative roughness parameter. This parameter, the active roughness coefficient C _r, is derived from the features of the effective roughness mobilized at the contact areas during shearing. The model involves a shear strength criterion and the relations between stresses and displacements in the normal and shear directions, where the effects of the boundary conditions and joint properties are considered by the shape indices C _d and C _f. The model can be used to predict the shear behavior under CNS as well as CNL conditions. The shear behavior obtained from the experimental results is generally in good agreement with that estimated by the proposed model, and the effects of joint roughness, initial normal stress, and normal stiffness are reasonably reflected in the model.