Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Scale effect of shear mechanical properties of non-penetrating horizontal rock-like joints

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

From the perspective of macroscopic scale, the majority of natural rock mass should be categorized as non-penetrating jointed rock mass. The existing researches in the field of scale effect of joint properties were mainly implemented on penetrating joints, which contradicts engineering practice, and is of high possibility to make the strength estimation of large natural jointed rock mass inaccurate, leading to serious loss of life and property. In response to such case, a series of numerical calculations of direct shear test on non-penetrating horizontal rock-like joints with different scales were carried out by PFC in this paper, to investigate the scale effect of shear mechanical properties of non-penetrating horizontal rock-like joints. First, the model microparameters were calibrated by three physical experiments to guarantee the precise reproduction of the mechanical performances of target rock and joint. Next, the particle parameters (average particle size dave and radius ratio μ) of model were changed, the effect of particle size on joint strength was studied by direct shear calculation, and the determining method for the values of dave and μ was suggested. Then, based on two distribution forms of non-penetrating horizontal rock-like joint (type I and type II joints), the numerical shear tests were conducted on jointed rock models with different persistence rations and model scales, and the variations of shear stress displacement curve and strength characteristics were analyzed. The results indicate: The lower the persistence ration λ of the joint, the more obvious the negative scale effect of joint shear strength. Besides, the scale effect of shear strength gradually decreases when λ > 0.5 for type I joints while λ > 0.8 for type II joints and the scale effects of joint strength parameters only emerge in the case of λ < 0.2.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig.11

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The data used to support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

References

  • Bahaaddini M, Sharrock G, Hebblewhite BK (2013) Numerical investigation of the effect of joint geometrical parameters on the mechanical properties of a non-persistent jointed rock mass under uniaxial compression. Comput Geotech 49:206–225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cao RH, Cao P, Lin H (2018) Failure characteristics of intermittent fissures under a compressive-shear test: experimental and numerical analyses. Theoret Appl Fract Mech 96:740–757. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tafmec.2017.11.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cao RH, Wang CS, Yao RB, Hu T, Lei DX, Lin H, Zhao YL (2020a) Effects of cyclic freeze-thaw treatments on the fracture characteristics of sandstone under different fracture modes: laboratory testing. Theoret Appl Fract Mech 109:102738

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cao RH, Yao RB, Meng JJ, Lin QB, Lin H, Li S (2020b) Failure mechanism of non-persistent jointed rock-like specimens under uniaxial loading: laboratory testing. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 132:104341

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Y (2014) Experimental study and stress analysis of rock anchorage performance . J Rock Mech Geotech Eng 6:428–437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2014.06.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen YF, Lin H, Wang YX (2020) Modified double-reduction method considering strain softening and equivalent influence angle. KSCE J Civ Eng 24:3257–3266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cho N, Martin CD, Sego DC (2008) Development of a shear zone in brittle rock subjected to direct shear. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 45:1335–1346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2008.01.019

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cundall P (2000) Numerical experiments on rough joints in shear using a bonded particle model. Aspects Tecton Faulting. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59617-9_1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fan X, Li K, Lai H (2018) Experimental and numerical study of the failure behavior of intermittent rock joints subjected to direct shear load. Adv Civ Eng 4294501:1–19. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/4294501

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrero A (1995) The shear strength of reinforced rock joints. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 32:590–600. https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-9062(95)00002-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghazvinian A, Sarfarazi V, Schubert W, Blumel M (2012) A study of the failure mechanism of planar non-persistent open joints using PFC2D. Rock Mech Rock Eng 45:677–693

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang Z, Cao P, Fan X, He Y, Fan W (2014) Evolution of joint morphology subjected to shear loads based on Gaussian filtering method. Zhongnan Daxue Xuebao (Ziran Kexue Ban). J Central South Univ Sci Technol 45:1975–1982

    Google Scholar 

  • Kawamoto T, Ichikawa Y, Kyoya T (1988) Deformation and fracturing behaviour of discontinuous rock mass and damage mechanics theory. Int J Numer Anal Method Geomech 12:1–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kostic S (2017) Analytical models for estimation of slope stability in homogeneous intact and jointed rock masses with a single joint. Int J Geomech. https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)gm.1943-5622.0000994

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lajtai EZ (1969) Shear strength of weakness planes in rock. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 6:499–508, IN7–IN8, 509–515

  • Lei D, Lin H, Chen Y, Cao R, Wen Z (2019) Effect of cyclic freezing-thawing on the shear mechanical characteristics of nonpersistent joints. Adv Mater Sci Eng 2019:1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li N, Chen W, Zhang P, Swoboda G (2001) The mechanical properties and a fatigue-damage model for jointed rock masses subjected to dynamic cyclical loading. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 38:1071–1079

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin H, Ding X, Yong R, Xu W, Du S (2019) Effect of non-persistent joints distribution on shear behavior. Comptes Rendus Mécanique 347:477–489. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crme.2019.05.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin H, Lei D, Yong R, Jiang C, Du S (2020a) Analytical and numerical analysis for frost heaving stress distribution within rock joints under freezing and thawing cycles. Environ Earth Sci 79:305. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-020-09051-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin H, Sun PH, Chen YF, Zhu YY, Fan X, Zhao YL (2020b) Analytical and experimental analysis of the shear strength of bolted saw-tooth joints. Eur J Environ Civ Eng 24:1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/19648189.2020.1726822

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin H, Zhang X, Cao R, Wen Z (2020c) Improved nonlinear burgers shear creep model based on the time-dependent shear strength for rock. Environ Earth Sci 79:149. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-020-8896-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin H, Zhang X, Wang YX, Yong R, Fan X, Du SG, Zhao YL (2020d) Improved nonlinear Nishihara shear creep model with variable parameters for rock-like materials. Adv Civ Eng 2020:7302141. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/7302141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin H, Zhu Y, Yang J, Wen ZJ (2020e) Anchor stress and deformation of the bolted joint under shearing. Adv Civ Eng 2020:3696489. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/3696489

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin QB, Ping C, Hong CR, Hang L, Jing MJ (2020f) Mechanical behavior around double circular openings in a jointed rock mass under uniaxial compression. Arch Civ Mech Eng 20:1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu HY, Zhang LM (2015) A damage constitutive model for rock mass with nonpersistently closed joints under uniaxial compression. Arab J Sci Eng 40:3107–3117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pariseau WG, Puri S, Schmelter SC (2008) A new model for effects of impersistent joint sets on rock slope stability. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 45:122–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh HK, Basu A (2018) A comparison between the shear behavior of ‘Real’ natural rock discontinuities and their replicas. Rock Mech Rock Eng 51:329–340. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-017-1334-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stimpson B (1978) Failure of slopes containing discontinuous planar points. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 16:296–300

    Google Scholar 

  • Swoboda G, Shen XP, Rosas L (1998) Damage model for jointed rock mass and its application to tunnelling. Comput Geotech 22:183–203

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang ZC, Wong LNY (2016) Influences of normal loading rate and shear velocity on the shear behavior of artificial rock joints. Rock Mech Rock Eng 49:2165–2172. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-015-0822-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang ZC, Xia CC, Liu YM (2012) Modified Jennings shear strength criterion based on mechanical weakening model of rock bridges. Chin J Geotech Eng 34:2093–2099

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang YP, Xiong LX (2020) Numerical analysis of the influence of bolt set on the shear resistance of jointed rock masses. Civ Eng J 6:1039–1055. https://doi.org/10.28991/cej-2020-03091527

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Zhang H, Lin H, Zhao Y, Liu Y (2020) Fracture behaviour of central-flawed rock plate under uniaxial compression. Theoret Appl Fract Mech 106:102503. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tafmec.2020.102503

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xie SJ, Lin H, Chen YF, Wang YX, Cao RH, Li JT (2020a) Statistical damage shear constitutive model of rock joints under seepage pressure. Front Earth Sci 8:232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xie SJ, Lin H, Wang YX, Cao RH, Yong R, Du SG (2020b) Nonlinear shear constitutive model for peak shear-type joints based on improved Harris damage function. Arch Civ Mech Eng 20:1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yuan W, Li J, Li Z, Wang W, Sun X (2020) A strength reduction method based on the generalized hoek-brown (GHB) criterion for rock slope stability analysis. Comput Geotech 117:103240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2019.103240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Jiang Q, Chen N, Wei W, Feng X (2016) Laboratory investigation on shear behavior of rock joints and a new peak shear strength criterion. Rock Mech Rock Eng 49:3495–3512. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-016-1012-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang C, Pu C, Cao R, Jiang T, Huang G (2019) The stability and roof-support optimization of roadways passing through unfavorable geological bodies using advanced detection and monitoring methods, among others, in the Sanmenxia Bauxite Mine in China’s Henan Province. Bull Eng Geol Environ 78:5087–5099. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-018-01439-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao Y, Wang Y, Wang W, Tang L, Liu Q, Cheng G (2019) Modeling of rheological fracture behavior of rock cracks subjected to hydraulic pressure and far field stresses. Theoret Appl Fract Mech 101:59–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao Y, Zhang L, Liao J, Wang W, Liu Q (2020a) Experimental study of fracture toughness and subcritical crack growth of three rocks under different environments. Int J Geomech 20

  • Zhao Y, Zhang L, Liao J, Wang W, Liu Q, Tang L (2020b) Experimental study of fracture toughness and subcritical crack growth of three rocks under different environments. Int J Geomech 20:04020128

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This paper gets its funding from project (Major Research Plan) (51774322) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China; Project (2018JJ2500) supported by Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China; Scientific research innovation project for graduate students of Central South University (2019zzts303). The authors wish to acknowledge these supports. The anonymous reviewers are gratefully acknowledged for his valuable comments on the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Resources and Safety Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, Hunan, China

    Yifan Chen, Hang Lin, Xuran Ding & Shijie Xie

Authors
  1. Yifan Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hang Lin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xuran Ding
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shijie Xie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hang Lin.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chen, Y., Lin, H., Ding, X. et al. Scale effect of shear mechanical properties of non-penetrating horizontal rock-like joints. Environ Earth Sci 80, 192 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09485-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09485-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation