Photogrammetric Prediction of Rock Fracture Properties and Validation with Metric Shear Tests

An accurate understanding of jointed rock mass behavior is important in many applications ranging from deep geological disposal of nuclear waste, to deep mining, and to urban geoengineering projects. The roughness of rock fractures and the matching of the fracture surfaces are the key contributors to the shear strength of rock fractures. In this research, push shear tests with three normal stress levels of 3.6, 6.0, and 8.5 kPa were conducted on two granite samples with artificially induced well-matching tensile fractures with sizes of 500 mm × 250 mm and 1000 mm × 500 mm. The large sample reached on average a −60% weaker peak shear stress than the medium-sized sample, and a strong negative scale effect was observed in the peak shear strength. The roughness of the surfaces was measured using a profilometer and photogrammetry. The scale-corrected profilometer-based method (joint roughness coefficient, JRC) underestimates the peak friction angle for the medium-sized slabs by −27% for the medium sample and −9% for the large sample. The photogrammetry-based (Z′2) method produces an estimate with −7% (medium) and + 12% (large) errors. The photogrammetry-based Z′2 is an objective method that consistently produces usable estimates for the JRC and peak friction angle.

Prediction of Peak Friction Angle using Photogrammetry and Comparison to Shear Test Results of Metric Scale Rock Fractures

An accurate understanding of jointed rock mass behavior is important in many applications ranging from deep geological disposal of nuclear waste to deep mining to urban geoengineering projects. The roughness of rock fractures and the matching of the fracture surfaces are the key contributors to the shear strength of rock fractures. In this research, push shear tests with three normal stress levels of 3.6, 6.0, and 8.5 kPa were conducted with two granite samples with artificially induced well-matching tensile fractures with sizes of 500 mm × 250 mm and 1000 mm × 500 mm. The large sample reached on average a -60 % weaker peak shear stress than the medium-sized sample, and a strong negative scale effect was observed in the peak shear strength. The roughness of the surfaces was measured using a profilometer and photogrammetry. The scale-corrected profilometer-based method (JRC) underestimates the peak friction angle for the medium-sized slabs by -27 % for the medium sample and -9 % for the large sample. The photogrammetry-based (Z’2) method produces an estimate with -7% (medium) and +12 % (large) errors. The photogrammetry-based Z’2 is an objective method that consistently produces usable estimates for the JRC and peak friction angle.

The effects of grain size and different multi-stage shearing techniques on shear strength along rock discontinuities

The effects of grain size and different multi-stage shearing techniques on shear strength along discontinuities were analyzed in this study. Laboratory direct shear tests were carried out on plaster mortar with maximum grain sizes of 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm. All specimen surfaces were essentially similar, copied from the same natural, Hungarian coarse-grained sandstone joint with a low joint roughness coefficient (JRC = 8). Tests within two different normal stress ranges (σn = 0.25–0.5 and 0.5–1.5 MPa) were performed simultaneously. Specimens tested using the technique involving modified shearing with repositioning were sheared three times while being subjected to the same degree of normal stress (shearing sequence n = 1, 2, 3) and those with multi-stage technique without repositioning were subjected to shearing once at three different degrees of normal stress. The changing values of the peak friction angle calculated from the resulting peak shear strength-normal stress data pairs (τp − σn) were examined. Failure curves were estimated using linear regression, according to the Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion. The differences between the various peak friction angles obtained from experiments in which different multi-stage shearing techniques were used tend to increase in significance with the increasing number of shearing sequences. Peak friction angle values vary according to grain size of the material, though further investigations using more grain sizes are required to establish the extent of the effect on shear strength along discontinuities.

Determination of Passive Failure Surface Geometry for Cohesionless Backfills

Correct determination of the passive failure surface geometry is necessary for the design of retaining structures. The conventional theories assume linear passive failure surfaces even though it is known that the actual failure surfaces are non-linear. Many researchers claimed the appropriateness of a hybrid curved-linear method. This approach estimates the curved section by a log-spiral function, which then connects to the backfill surface with the conventional linear assumption. The main drawback here is that the geometric properties of the hybrid mathematical function is not directly related to the mechanical properties of soils. Thus, this study attempts to provide a mechanical description for the assumed geometrical parameters. For this purpose, a series of 1 g small scale retaining wall model tests, simulating passive failure, are conducted on two different backfill soils. The relative density is varied in the model tests and the resultant peak friction angles of the backfills are calculated as functions of failure stress state and relative density using a well-known empirical equation. Transparent sidewalls allow for visualization of the failure surface evolution, which is obtained by capturing images and analysing then through Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique. Subsequently, the quantified slip zones are fitted with the hybrid curved-linear approach. The relationships between the peak friction angle and the geometrical characteristics of the best-fit log-spiral and linear functions are investigated. Obtained results are used to propose a set of equations that allow the estimation of non-linear passive failure surfaces as function of peak friction angle.

The Shear Strength and Dilatancy Behavior of Wheat Stored in Silos

This paper focuses on the shear and dilatancy behavior of wheat stored in silos with various densities and normal stresses. The goal is to find a quantitative relationship modeling the peak friction angle and maximum dilatancy angle of wheat stored in silos. A total of 48 direct shear tests were carried out to research the evolution of shear and dilatancy of stored wheat in silos. It is revealed that strength of wheat in bulk attributes to the combination of frictional and dilatant during shearing, in particular attributing to its elliptic shape. An increase in relative density enhances the peak friction angle as well as the dilation. The relationships between relative density, peak friction angle, and dilatancy angle were presented based on the tests data and Bolton’s theory. Then an advanced model is developed to evaluate the peak shear behavior of wheat stored in silos considering the dilatancy of the stored wheat. It is a practical method to predict the strength and dilatancy behavior of wheat stored in silos.

Stury of Post-Failure Constitutive Relation Based on SMP Criterion

In this paper, based on SMP criteria, combination of strain softening of rock material mechanics theory, the after peak friction angleφfor the intermediate variables, the residual strainεto express the after peak nonlinear elastic modulusE, and finally establish a unified non-linear constitutive model of the rock peak residual stress. Combination Xiao Guanzhuang Eastern Mine typical breakdown rock of diorite triaxial test , get stress-strain curves for different confining pressures by this model. It shows that peak constitutive relation of this study can simulate the experimental results, prove the rationality of the model.