Optimal Support Solution for a Soft Rock Roadway Based on the Drucker–Prager Yield Criteria

Through theoretical calculation, the stress and deformation of surrounding rock can be analyzed, providing guidance for the support design and optimization of soft rock roadways. In this paper, theoretical solutions for both the optimal support pressure and the allowable maximum displacement of surrounding rock are derived from the Drucker–Prager (DP) yield criteria and the steady creep criterion expressed by the third invariant of deviator stress. The DP criterion with different parameters is compared and analyzed with an engineering example. Then, based on the calculation results the effects of long-term strength, cohesion, and internal friction angle of soft rock on the maximum plastic zone radius and allowable maximum displacement of roadway are discussed. The results show that the optimal support solution of soft rock roadways based on the DP criteria can not only reasonably reflect the intermediate principal stress but can also be used to compare and discuss the influence of different DP criteria on the calculation results. The higher the long-term strength of the rock surrounding a roadway is, the smaller the optimal support force is and the larger the allowable maximum displacement is. When the calculated long-term strength of soft rock can ensure that the deformation of the roadway does not exceed the allowable maximum displacement, the roadway can maintain long-term stability without support. With an increase in the cohesion or internal friction angle of soft rock, the radius of the plastic zone decreases gradually and the allowable maximum displacement is reduced by degrees. The use of grouting and other means to improve the strength of surrounding rock can effectively reduce the roadway deformation and save support costs. This new theoretical solution can consider different intermediate principal stress effects and different DP strength criteria, enabling the parameters to become easier to determine. It has a wider range of applications, and the calculation results better demonstrate the strength potential of the surrounding rock.

Effect of Various Types of Superplasticisers on Consistency, Viscosity, Structure and Long-Term Strength of Geopolymer Products

This article presents the results of research on the effect of plasticisers made based on four different compounds—melamine (M), naphthalene (NF), acrylic polymers (AP) and polycarboxylic ethers (PC)—added to the tested mixes in the amount of 2% of the fly ash (FA). The influence of superplasticisers (SPs) on the consistency of the fresh concrete was investigated using a flow table and a penetrometer, and the air voids content was determined by means of a porosimeter. Additionally, the influence of plasticisers on the viscosity of the paste was investigated using a rheometer. Hardened mortar that matured under two different conditions was also tested at elevated and room temperatures. The tested properties were 7-, 28- and 90-days compressive strength and internal microstructure viewed under a microscope. NF had the greatest viscosity-reducing effect while it increased the air void volume in the mix at the same time. The highest early and late strengths were obtained after curing in elevated temperature samples with an acrylic-polymer-based superplasticiser. However, the increased curing temperature of the samples only influenced the early strength results. Its effect was not visible after 90 days. The AP addition also had a significant impact on improving the consistency of the mixture. The addition of plasticisers did not affect the microstructure of the specimens.

Investigation on Failure Characteristics of Coal Seam Floor in Paste Filling Working Face

Water inrush disasters are extremely prone to occur if the coal seam floor contains a confined aquifer. To find out the failure behavior of coal seam floor of paste filling working face, a beam-based theoretical model for the floor aquifuge was built, and then, the water inrush risk was evaluated based on the thickness of floor aquifuge. Next, the floor failure characteristics of the paste filling face was numerically studied and the effects of the filling interval and long-term strength of the filling body on the floor failure depth, stress and displacement distributions, and plastic zone were explored. The results showed that the theoretical model for evaluating the safety of the floor of the paste filling face based on the empty roof distance is proved to be consistent with that of the empirical formula judged based on the assumption that the paste filling working face was regarded as a cut hole with a certain width. The filling interval has a significant effect on the stress concentration of the surrounding rock, failure depth of floor, and roof-floor convergence. The smaller the filling interval is, the smaller their values are. When the filling rate is 98%, the long-term strength of the filling body is 5 MPa, and the floor failure depth is not more than 4 m. In contrast, the strength of the filling body has no obvious influence on the floor failure depth, but it has a certain impact on the roof-floor convergence. From the perspective of reducing floor failure depth, there is no need to increase the long-term strength of backfill, but it is necessary to increase the early strength of backfill so as to reduce the width of the equivalent roadway.

Applicability of single sample method to test strength parameters of sandstone

The single sample method allows the mechanical parameters of rocks to be obtained with very few rock samples; however, the method has not been widely used. This is mainly because the yield point of the single sample method is more difficult to control than the conventional triaxial compressive test and the effect of the different control methods on the measured data is not well understood. The single sample method obtains the strength parameters of the rock by loading a single rock sample with multiple stages of confining pressure. Multistage loading tests are divided into peak strength control and long-term strength control according to yield point control. In this study, multistage loading tests of sandstone were carried out to obtain strength parameters using long-term strength control. The results show that sandstones undergo seriously brittle damage in conventional triaxial compressive tests. Although the sandstones have been rigorously selected, they still vary considerably, and long-term strength points are more difficult to control. The error of strength parameters of sandstone obtained using the single sample method may exceed 20% compared to those obtained by conventional triaxial compressive tests. So this method must be used with caution for sandstones.

The Rehbinder effect in tests of superalloys in contact with molten salts

The results of the Rehbinder effect manifestation during testing of superalloys in contact with corrosive media containing Na2SO4 + NaCl are discussed. We present the experimental study of the effect of salts containing chlorine and sulfur on the mechanical properties and long-term strength of single crystal and powder nickel-based superalloys at high temperatures. The practical value of the work is associated with the possible operation of gas turbine parts in conditions of ingress of the particles containing chlorine, sulfur and sodium into the flow path. A simplified (compared to a previously used) procedure of testing wrought alloys for long-term strength in molten salts is developed. A comparative study of the mechanical properties and long-term strength of a single crystal superalloy in the initial state (previously damaged by corrosion of different duration) and being in contact with salts during testing is carried out. Due to the large scatter of experimental data, the method of lower envelopes has been proposed and implemented to determine the guaranteed values of the long-term strength. It is shown that the guaranteed values of the long-term strength at different temperatures and test durations can decrease by 2.5 – 5.0 times in the presence of salts. Metallographic studies of the nature of damage and destruction of samples are carried out. The revealed decrease in the long-term strength of heat-resistant alloys in contact with salts is interpreted as the Rehbinder effect and not as a manifestation of the effect of stress corrosion cracking. A methodology for using the obtained test results with a duration of up to several thousand hours in highly aggressive environments is proposed to predict the long-term strength in relation to long-term operation (tens of thousands of hours) under conditions of relatively low salt loads.

Effect of Moisture Content On The Time-Dependent Mechanical Characteristics of Loess

It is of great significance to study the time-dependent mechanical properties of loess, as loess landslides are closely related to them. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of moisture content on instantaneous and time-dependent deformation, strength and failure behaviors of undisturbed loess specimens from Nangou in Yan'an City, Shanxi Province, China, via triaxial shearing tests and multi-loading triaxial creep tests under moisture contents of 5%, 10%, 17% and 22%. The results show that the time-dependent deformation of loess increase with the moisture content, while the time-dependent deformation rate decreases slowly. The soil deformation is divided into four stages based on the peak strain rate. Furthermore, the instantaneous and long-term strength of loess decrease with increasing moisture content, and the instantaneous strength decreases more than the long-term strength. The failure mode of undisturbed loess changes from shear failure to homogeneous failure with increasing moisture content; when the failure mode is shear failure, the thickness of the shear band that forms at the specimen surface over time is smaller than the corresponding thickness that forms instantaneously. Finally, the macroscopic morphology and microstructure of loess specimens were considered together to analyze the effect of moisture content on the instantaneous and long-term mechanical behavior of loess and to discuss the process of loess deformation to failure.