{"title":"Study on the destabilisation mechanism of karst mountains under the coupled action of mining and rainfall","authors":"Long Chen, Dezhong Kong, Peng Li, Yujun Zuo, Yanjiao Li, Mengtang Xu, Pengfei Zhang","doi":"10.1007/s10064-024-03986-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10064-024-03986-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Mining landslides in southwestern China pose a serious threat to people's property and safety. In order to study the destabilisation and damage mechanism of karst mountains under the combined action of mining and rainfall, based on the landslides in the mountainous area of the Maidi Coal Mine in Guizhou Province, and combining with field investigations, we have analysed the characteristics of the landslides, investigated the stability of the bearing structure of the bedrock of the mountain, the composition of the mineral components, and the microscopic characteristics of the rocks, and simulated the excavation of the coal seams as well as the infiltration of the rainfall. The destabilisation mechanism of the karst mountain under the coupling of mining stress and rainfall infiltration was investigated. The obtained destabilisation and destruction mechanism of karst mountain destabilisation under the coupled action of mining and rainfall lays the foundation for the control of karst landslides. </p></div>","PeriodicalId":500,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment","volume":"83 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142579500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Structural dynamic constitutive model of uncompacted saturated loess based on experimental results","authors":"Yuwei Zhang, Lianbaichao Liu, Zhanping Song, Youchuan Wu, Fang Zheng","doi":"10.1007/s10064-024-03969-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10064-024-03969-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Uncompacted saturated loess retains its residual pore structure without artificial compaction, making it highly sensitive to environmental changes such as dehydration-rehydration cycles. This study investigates the dynamic characteristics of uncompacted saturated loess in the Xi'an area, where infrastructure projects are commonly affected by the soil's instability. Dynamic triaxial tests were conducted under varying confining pressures and dehydration-rehydration cycles to examine the dynamic stress–strain relationship, dynamic modulus, and damping ratio variation. The methodology involved multi-stage loading using dynamic triaxial equipment, with cycles of drying and rehydration applied to replicate field conditions. A hyperbolic tangent function was used to model the dynamic stress–strain behavior, and structural parameters m1 and m2 were introduced to quantify the soil's stability and variability. Key findings show that dynamic stress increases with dehydration-rehydration cycles, while dynamic modulus and damping ratio decrease, especially during the initial cycles. The results provide critical insights into the behavior of uncompacted saturated loess under dynamic conditions, offering practical guidelines for managing soil stability in infrastructure projects across the Xi'an region.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":500,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment","volume":"83 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142579455","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reproduction of the chain process of debris flow blocking river at a catchment scale: a numerical study","authors":"Wei Liu, Chaojun Ouyang, Yao Tang, Siming He","doi":"10.1007/s10064-024-03974-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10064-024-03974-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Debris flow blocking river is a common mountain disaster chain, and however, there is a scarcity of quantitative approaches for assessing this particular disaster chain. To tackle this issue, we have developed a mathematical model using the framework of depth-averaged theory and its associated computational method. The model effectively captures the multistage process of debris flow blocking river at a catchment scale. It encompasses the dynamics of runoff, debris flow, and the river, ensuring the transfer of mass and momentum throughout the entire chain. To facilitate a more intuitive transition between the various secondary induced disasters associated with debris flow blocking river, two additional state variables are introduced. The presented computing method solves the model equations by integrating an HLLC Riemann solver into a second-order accurate finite volume method. To validate the effectiveness of this approach, two laboratory experiments and the 2020 Meilong debris flow blocking river event are simulated, and the obtained results are consistent with the available data. Moreover, this approach is employed to estimate the impact of scission on the chain process of debris flow blocking river. The simulated results showcase whether the transition between the various sub-disasters can successfully transpire under the influence of chain scission. This study can provide a basis for quantitatively assessing the chain process of debris flow blocking river as well as finding the optimization scheme to prevent this disaster chain.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":500,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment","volume":"83 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142579454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hadi Fattahi, Hossein Ghaedi, Danial Jahed Armaghani
{"title":"Increasing accuracy in predicting mode I fracture toughness of rock structures: a comparative analysis of the rock engineering system method","authors":"Hadi Fattahi, Hossein Ghaedi, Danial Jahed Armaghani","doi":"10.1007/s10064-024-03975-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10064-024-03975-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The investigation of crack initiation and expansion is vital for the stability of structures. The Mode I fracture toughness (<i>K</i><sub><i>Ic</i></sub>) of rocks is a key property used to predict crack propagation in tension and hydraulic fracturing. Various methods have been introduced to determine <i>K</i><sub><i>Ic</i></sub>, but results differ due to factors like sample dimensions, crack geometry, groove type, and loading conditions. The cracked chevron notched Brazilian disc (CCNBD) sample is commonly used in laboratory tests for its easy preparation. This study employs the rock engineering system (RES) technique to overcome the challenges of time-consuming and costly laboratory tests and the uncertainty in traditional methods (analytical, numerical, experimental, laboratory, regression). Using 88 CCNBD rock samples proposed by ISRM, input parameters include thickness of the disc specimen (<i>B</i>), uniaxial tensile strength (<i>σ</i><sub><i>t</i></sub>), initial crack length (<i>α</i><sub><i>0</i></sub>), radius of the disc specimen (R), crack length (<i>α</i><sub><i>B</i></sub>), and the length of the final crack (<i>α</i><sub><i>1</i></sub>). The RES-based model used 70 data points (80% of the dataset) for development, and 18 data points (20%) for evaluation. Regression analysis compared the performance of the RES method, using statistical indicators such as squared correlation coefficient (R<sup>2</sup>), mean square error (MSE), and root mean square error (RMSE) to measure accuracy. The RES-based method outperformed other regression techniques, demonstrating significantly enhanced accuracy. This highlights the effectiveness and superior performance of the RES method in estimating fracture toughness, particularly for CCNBD samples, showcasing its potential as a robust analytical tool.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":500,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment","volume":"83 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10064-024-03975-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142579437","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Qianhui Li, Wenbing Shi, Lina Yu, Changwen Yang, Chun Zhu
{"title":"Test evaluation of slope deformation and fissure network with different surface shapes under the action of underground mining","authors":"Qianhui Li, Wenbing Shi, Lina Yu, Changwen Yang, Chun Zhu","doi":"10.1007/s10064-024-03967-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10064-024-03967-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The mountainous region of southwest China is rich in mineral resources; however, its complex topography and geological conditions make underground mining susceptible to triggering geological hazards. To comprehensively understand the mechanisms of mining-induced slope instability, generalized models of linear, concave, and concave-convex slopes were developed. The progression from the formation of mining-induced fissure networks to slope failure was analyzed using base friction tests, digital photogrammetry for deformation measurement (DPDM) technology, and fractal theory. The results indicate that an increase in mining area, number of layers, and depth leads to continuous adjustments in fissure networks and formation dislocations, resulting in diverse interactions and developmental trajectories. Fissures propagate toward the surface, increasing the fractured rock mass and decreasing slope stability. The maximum displacement occurring in the direct roof and the upper-middle part of the slope, and the maximum shear strain concentrated in the direct roof, the leading and trailing edges of the slope, and the shear failure zones. Slope shape influences deformation and failure modes: linear and concave slopes undergo creepsliding and fracturing, whereas concave-convex slopes are more prone to bending and fracturing. The fractal dimension is directly proportional to mining depth, while the probability distribution index is inversely proportional to mining depth, indicating that the fissure development mechanism evolves from micro-fissure formation to large-scale fissure. The increasing complexity in the boundaries of fissure networks is accompanied by expansion, compaction, and penetration. These findings provide a foundation for the accurate assessment of mining-induced geological hazards in slopes with similar geometric configurations.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":500,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment","volume":"83 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142565953","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yuelin Xia, Ding-Ping Xu, Quan Jiang, Jianbin Xie, Zhiguo Li
{"title":"The effect of pegmatite veins on fracture behaviors of granite in a deep large underground cavern","authors":"Yuelin Xia, Ding-Ping Xu, Quan Jiang, Jianbin Xie, Zhiguo Li","doi":"10.1007/s10064-024-03989-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10064-024-03989-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The fracture behavior of granite with pegmatite veins, which influences brittle spalling at the Shuangjiangkou Hydropower Station’s underground powerhouse in China, was investigated. This study explored the fracture characteristics of veined granite through three approaches: an in-situ geological survey, true triaxial compression experiments, and microscopic fracture analysis. The results revealed that pegmatite veins, due to their high brittleness, are prone to spalling and often serve as boundaries for rock mass instability. Under true triaxial compression, the stress–strain curve of granite shifted from Class I to Class II in the presence of veins, with thicker veins resulting in lower overall granite strength. In granite with gently dipping veins, deflection of the main fracture at the vein–granite interface was observed, while steeply dipping veins led to fracture propagation either within the veins or along the lithologic interface. Factors influencing the fractures included differences in elastic modulus and Poisson’s ratio between the veins and granite near the lithological interface, as well as mineral composition and structural characteristics. A greater aggregation of shear fracture signals was observed in specimens with thicker veins before reaching the damage stress threshold. Stress-relieving measures are necessary to reduce stress concentration near veined rock masses, and microseismic techniques are recommended for monitoring shear fractures to provide timely warnings of rock mass instability when excavating granite with steep and thick veins in a deep underground cavern.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":500,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment","volume":"83 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142565946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Slope stability analysis of unsaturated colluvial slopes based on case studies of rainfall-induced landslides","authors":"Milinda Prasad Amarasinghe, Dilan Robert, Siyabalagodage Athula Senerath Kulathilaka, Annan Zhou, Halvithana Athukoralalage Gamini Jayathissa","doi":"10.1007/s10064-024-03933-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10064-024-03933-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Landslides in colluvial soils under rainfall have been identified as a significant problem due to their loose, heterogeneous nature and low shear strength. Evaluation of the stability of colluvial slopes under rainfall conditions is challenging. This study investigated two landslide failure case studies of colluvial soils to understand the failure patterns using finite element (FE) and limit equilibrium (LE) slope stability analysis methods under unsaturated conditions. Transient seepage conditions due to rainfall infiltration and failure were analysed using hydromechanical models. Here, a FE fully coupled hydromechanical model and a sequential coupling of a FE hydrological and LE mechanical model were used to evaluate the failure of variably saturated slopes. Results from the case studies revealed that the failure occurred due to the rise in the groundwater table in both cases. It was evident that there can be significant disparities in the pore water pressure profiles with the fully coupled and sequentially coupled analysis. The dynamic capability of the two models can also affect the interplay between the hydrological and mechanical aspects. When the thickness of the colluvium layer is large, the failure could potentially occur as a deep-seated failure along the boundary of overburden and the bedrock surface due to the large driving force. However, when the thickness is small, failure can occur along the colluvium-weathered rock surface. The outcomes from the study will contribute to mitigate the uncertainty of failure prediction of landslides in colluvial soils.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":500,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment","volume":"83 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10064-024-03933-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142565782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kang Bian, Yanan Chen, Wei Zhang, Qingrong Xiong, Bingyang Li
{"title":"Mechanical property deterioration and a full-stage constitutive model of shale subject to water-softening effect","authors":"Kang Bian, Yanan Chen, Wei Zhang, Qingrong Xiong, Bingyang Li","doi":"10.1007/s10064-024-03957-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10064-024-03957-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Water-softening effect has been widely recognized as one of the primary causes triggering large deformation and failure in soft-rock engineering; however, there is still a lack of a full-stage constitutive model for rock considering the water-softening effect and non-linear deformation characteristics at the compaction stage under triaxial stress conditions at present. In this paper, laboratory tests are firstly carried out to estimate the deterioration characteristics of mechanical properties with increase of saturation coefficient for shale samples. And then, a full-stage constitutive model of shale subjected to water-softening effect is proposed, which consists of the pre-yield and the post-yield constitutive relationships. The pre-yield constitutive relationships could well describe the non-linear deformation characteristics of compaction stage, which are derived based on the generalized Hooke’s law considering water-softening effect under anisotropic stress conditions. On the other hand, by introducing correction coefficients to solve the problem of numerical discontinuity at the yield point of the pre-yield and the post-yield constitutive relationships, the post-yield constitutive relationships are derived on the basis of the statistical damage mechanics theory. The comparison results with the experimental data show that the proposed model could well characterize the full-stage stress–strain relationship for shale under triaxial loading considering the water-softening effect.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":500,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment","volume":"83 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142540603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhiming Liang, Zhenyu Zhang, Shengpeng Hao, Haoran Dou, Kun Long
{"title":"Indications of induced seismicity caused by pore evolution and fluid perturbation: an experimental study","authors":"Zhiming Liang, Zhenyu Zhang, Shengpeng Hao, Haoran Dou, Kun Long","doi":"10.1007/s10064-024-03985-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10064-024-03985-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Rock pore structure coupled with fluid pressure plays an important role in controlling fault slip behavior. Observation of fluid-induced seismicity in geoenergy extraction has raised fundamental questions about the physics of fault rock structure and fault frictional stability in the presence of fluid. Here, we change the pore structure of faults by thermal treatment and report on the frictional stability of granite faults with pore evolution and pore fluid pressure in velocity stepping experiments under the rate-and-state framework, where the variation of pore fluid is monitored. The experiments under constant fluid pressure show that pore structure propagation leads to an increase in friction coefficient from 0.71 to 0.78. As the degree of pore propagation increases, the drained fault exhibits a transition from velocity strengthening to weakening behavior. The decrease in frictional stability could be caused by the coupling between the pore fluid and the well-connected pores, namely “fluid oscillation”. Pore pressure overpressurization could develop and cause non-uniform stress distribution along the fault surface due to pore fluid oscillation at velocity steps. The time required to equilibrate fluid pressure could be prolonged by fluid oscillation, leading to intrinsic velocity strengthening behavior appearing as velocity weakening. The decrease in rate-and-state parameter with elevating pore fluid pressure on high-porosity fault corroborates the fluid-induced fault destabilization. The fluid oscillation at the greater pore pressure could be responsible for fault reactivation. Therefore, the coupling effect of rock pore structure with pore fluid could be a potential mechanism governing fault frictional stability.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":500,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment","volume":"83 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142540799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Residual stress in rock: insights from continuum-based micromechanical numerical modelling","authors":"M. Trzop, A. G. Corkum","doi":"10.1007/s10064-024-03981-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10064-024-03981-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Residual stresses are known to exist within the microstructure of crystalline materials as a result of material formation processes. Research has proven their existence and implications, and engineering applications have been derived for glass and metal materials. In the rock engineering field, limited research has been published on the topic in recent decades. Literature on residual stress in rock is presented regarding the formation mechanisms, magnitudes, and observed implications. Numerical modelling techniques, such as Grain-Based Modelling, can be used to gain insight into residual stresses in rock. Micromechanical numerical models were created using RS2’s Voronoi network to study rock simulations that include residual stress. Using a simplified modelling sequence, a residual stress field (microstresses) was created within a hypothetical rock mineral structure and three main scenarios were simulated. The first explores a potential relationship between residual stress and compression test crack closure strain. Secondly, the possibility of sample damage due to residual stress redistribution and the influence of residual stresses on the propagation of a slot cut was investigated. Finally, the anticipated displacements around a circular excavation in a rock block containing residual stresses were examined. The numerical investigations suggest that residual stress may have real and non-negligible influence on rock behaviour. This includes the effects of crack opening/closure, sample damage, and rock displacements that are not currently accounted for with implications for rock engineering projects.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":500,"journal":{"name":"Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment","volume":"83 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142540800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}