Manually directional splitting of in-situ intact igneous rocks into large sheets

Abstract

This paper presents a directional large-area rock fracturing method. The method had distinctive features compared with other common fracturing methods. The area of the fracturing surface could reach 10–500 ​m². The fractured rock was sheet-like in shape, with a thickness of 6–8 ​cm. The main fracturing tools and procedures used were described in the paper. This paper analyzed the reason for controllable and directional (also mode-I) rupturing in rock from the view of fracture mechanics. Counter-intuitively, the fracturing surface of the rock sheet had an angle (approximately 25°) to the loading direction (i.e., the orientation of the maximum principal compressive stress). The rupture behavior was controlled by the relationship between the load and the geometric boundary of the rock. It is found that the fracturing surface can suddenly and rapidly propagate after a certain strike by calculating the energies of the rock sheet. The striking energy could be converted into elastic strain energy, which accumulates in a very-slightly bent rock sheet step by step until exceeds the bearing limit of rock sheet. Most of the stored elastic strain energy was subsequently released in the form of splitting energy, leading to rock fracturing. This study provides insights into the occurrence of tectonic earthquakes.