Experimental Investigation on Anisotropic Strength and Deformation Behaviors of Columnar Jointed Rock Mass in Confined State
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 21, Issue 9
Abstract
Columnar jointed rock mass (CJRM) has a special joint structure formed during the cooling of lava. The self-oriented joint structure can induce mechanical anisotropy of the rock mass, which poses a challenge for geotechnical engineering. To understand the mechanical properties of CJRM, conventional triaxial compression tests were conducted on the artificial CJRM specimens. It can be found from the experiment results that the orientation of columns has a distinct impact on the strength and deformation modulus. Four failure modes of CJRM specimens at different dip angles of columns under different confining pressures can be observed. The anisotropy degree in strength and deformation modulus is estimated, where it is found that the increase of confining pressure decreases the anisotropy in strength and increases the anisotropy in deformation modulus.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The laboratory equipment and technical support provided by Professor Weiya Xu in the Hohai University are appreciated. The financial support provided by the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No. 2019M661711) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. B200202083) is also appreciated.
References
Brady, B. H. G., M. L. Cramer, and R. D. Hart. 1985. “Preliminary analysis of a loading test on a large basalt block.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. Geomech. Abstr. 22 (5): 345–348. https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-9062(85)92067-4.
Fridleifsson, G. O., and W. A. Elders. 2005. “The Iceland Deep Drilling Project: A search for deep unconventional geothermal resources.” Geothermics 34 (3): 269–285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geothermics.2004.11.004.
Goehring, L., and S. W. Morris. 2008. “Scaling of columnar joints in basalt.” Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 113, B10203. https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JB005018.
Hao, X.-J., X.-T. Feng, C.-X. Yang, Q. Jiang, and S.-J. Li. 2016. “Analysis of EDZ development of columnar jointed rock mass in the Baihetan diversion tunnel.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng. 49 (4): 1289–1312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-015-0829-4.
Hetényi, G., B. Taisne, F. Garel, É Médard, S. Bosshard, and H. B. Mattsson. 2012. “Scales of columnar jointing in igneous rocks: Field measurements and controlling factors.” Bull. Volcanol. 74 (2): 457–482. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-011-0534-4.
Ji, H., J. C. Zhang, W. Y. Xu, R. B. Wang, H. L. Wang, L. Yan, and Z. N. Lin. 2017. “Experimental investigation of the anisotropic mechanical properties of a columnar jointed rock mass: Observations from laboratory-based physical modelling.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng. 50 (7): 1919–1931. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-017-1192-4.
Jiang, Q., X.-t. Feng, Y. H. Hatzor, X.-j. Hao, and S.-j. Li. 2014. “Mechanical anisotropy of columnar jointed basalts: An example from the Baihetan hydropower station, China.” Eng. Geol. 175: 35–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2014.03.019.
Jin, C., C. Yang, D. Fang, and S. Xu. 2015. “Study on the failure mechanism of basalts with columnar joints in the unloading process on the basis of an experimental cavity.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng. 48 (3): 1275–1288. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-014-0625-6.
Kulatilake, P. H. S. W., W. He, J. Um, and H. Wang. 1997. “A physical model study of jointed rock mass strength under uniaxial compressive loading.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 34: 165.e161–165.e115. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1365-1609(97)00123-8.
Lin, Z., W. Xu, H. Wang, J. Zhang, W. Wei, R. Wang, and H. Ji. 2017. “Anisotropic characteristic of irregular columnar-jointed rock mass based on physical model test.” KSCE J. Civ. Eng. 21 (5): 1728–1734. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12205-016-1796-3.
Müller, G. 1998. “Experimental simulation of basalt columns.” J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 86 (1–4): 93–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-0273(98)00045-6.
Ramamurthy, T., and V. K. Arora. 1994. “Strength predictions for jointed rocks in confined and unconfined states.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. Geomech. Abstr. 31 (1): 9–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-9062(94)92311-6.
Shi, A., M. Tang, and Q. Zhou. 2008. “Research of deformation characteristics of columnar jointed basalt at Baihetan hydropower station on Jinsha river.” Chin. J. Rock Mech. Eng. 27: 2079–2086.
Singh, M., and K. Seshagiri Rao. 2005. “Empirical methods to estimate the strength of jointed rock masses.” Eng. Geol. 77 (1–2): 127–137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2004.09.001.
Sun, Y., C. Chen, and Y. Gao. 2020. “Stress-fractional model with rotational hardening for anisotropic clay.” Comput. Geotech. 126: 103719. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2020.103719.
Sun, Y., and C. Zheng. 2017. “Breakage and shape analysis of ballast aggregates with different size distributions.” Particuology 35: 84–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.partic.2017.02.004.
Vasseur, J., and F. B. Wadsworth. 2019. “The permeability of columnar jointed lava.” J. Geophys. Res.: Solid Earth 124 (11): 11305–11315. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JB018118.
Xiao, W.-m., R.-g. Deng, Z.-b. Zhong, X.-m. Fu, and C.-y. Wang. 2015. “Experimental study on the mechanical properties of simulated columnar jointed rock masses.” J. Geophys. Eng. 12 (1): 80–89. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-2132/12/1/80.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 21, 2020
Accepted: May 9, 2021
Published online: Jun 30, 2021
Published in print: Sep 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Nov 30, 2021
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.
Cited by
- Shervin Barami, Mahmoud Behnia, Experimental and Numerical Investigations on the Effect of In Situ Stress and Discontinuities Orientation on the Deformation Modulus of Rock Masses, International Journal of Geomechanics, 10.1061/IJGNAI.GMENG-9178, 24, 2, (2024).
- Mingjing Jiang, Asen Liu, Huaning Wang, Guowen Lu, Lei Li, A Strength Criterion for Deep Rock with Stochastic Fractures via DEM Simulations, KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering, 10.1007/s12205-022-0315-y, 27, 2, (826-842), (2022).
- Xiaoliang Wang, Yixin Zhao, Xulong Zhang, Zhuang Sun, Yirui Gao, Yaodong Jiang, Effects of Anisotropy on Strength and Deformability of Anthracite Under High Confinement, Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 10.1007/s00603-022-03140-y, (2022).
- Yaoyao Meng, Hongwen Jing, Shenghao Sun, Min Chen, Kai Huang, Experimental and Numerical Studies on the Anisotropic Mechanical Characteristics of Rock-Like Material with Bedding Planes and Voids, Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 10.1007/s00603-022-03009-0, 55, 11, (7171-7189), (2022).