Effect of Joint Density on Rockburst Proneness of the Elastic-Brittle-Plastic Rock Mass

The prediction of rockburst proneness is the basis of preventing and controlling rockburst disasters in rock engineering. Based on energy theory and damage mechanics, the quantitative functional relationship between joint density and energy density was derived. Then, the theoretical results were verified by numerical simulation and uniaxial compression test, and the effect of joint density on rockburst proneness of the elastic-brittle-plastic rock mass was discussed. The results show that the relationship between the joint density and the dissipated energy index of the jointed rock mass is a logarithmic function. With the same total input energy, the higher the joint density, the more the damage dissipation energy. Even in the case of high joint density, the rock mass still has limited resistance to external failure. Under the same joint density, the strength of parallel jointed rock mass is better than that of the cross-jointed rock mass, and the parallel jointed rock mass can accumulate more elastic strain energy and has higher rockburst proneness. The joint density is closely related to the ability of the rock mass to store high strain energy. The higher the joint density is, the weaker the ability to accumulate the elastic strain energy of rock mass is and the lower the rockburst proneness is. It is helpful to predict rockburst proneness by investigating and studying the properties of geological discontinuities. The research results have some theoretical and engineering guiding significance for the prediction of rockburst proneness of the jointed rock mass.

Automated summary

The research reveals that rock masses with higher joint density have greater dissipation energy, but still have limited resistance to external failure. Rock masses with parallel joints exhibit better strength and higher rockburst proneness compared to those with cross-joints, accumulating more elastic strain energy.