Technical Papers
Dec 20, 2022

Anisotropic Strength, Deformability, and Failure Behavior of Artificial Columnar Jointed Rock Masses under Triaxial Compression

Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 35, Issue 3

Abstract

Columnar jointed rock masses (CJRMs) have a complex network structure and, therefore, present a great challenge to geotechnical engineering design. A series of triaxial compression tests is performed on artificial CJRM specimens subjected to a confining pressure of 5 MPa, considering various pore pressures (pw=0  MPa, 2 MPa, and 4 MPa). In this work, the influence of the joint dip angles and pore pressure on the anisotropic strength, deformation, and failure modes of the CJRM is investigated. The anisotropic characteristic stresses, strength parameters (c and φ) and elastic modulus of the CJRM specimens show a U-shaped pattern with increasing joint dip angles (β), while Poisson’s ratio changes inversely. The elastic modulus has a stronger anisotropy than Poisson’s ratio. Moreover, with increasing pore pressure, the characteristic stresses decrease, while the anisotropy of stresses and deformations increases. Finally, three failure modes of CJRM specimens with different joint dip angles are observed under triaxial compression conditions.

Get full access to this article

View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.

Data Availability Statement

Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Acknowledgments

This research is supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2018YFC0407004), the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51939004, 11772118, and 11772116), and the 111 Project are gratefully acknowledged.

References

Aydin, A. 2009. “ISRM suggested method for determination of the Schmidt hammer rebound hardness: Revised version.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 46 (3): 627–634. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2008.01.020.
Dai, F., B. Li, N. W. Xu, G. T. Meng, J. Y. Wu, and Y. L. Fan. 2017. “Microseismic monitoring of the left bank slope at the Baihetan hydropower station, China.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng. 50 (Sep): 225–232. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-016-1050-9.
Gatelier, N., F. Pellet, and B. Loret. 2002. “Mechanical damage of an anisotropic porous rock in cyclic triaxial tests.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 39 (3): 335–354. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1365-1609(02)00029-1.
Goehring, L., and S. W. Morris. 2005. “Order and disorder in columnar joints.” Europhys. Lett. 69 (5): 739–745. https://doi.org/10.1209/epl/i2004-10408-x.
Goehring, L., S. W. Morris, and Z. Q. Lin. 2006. “Experimental investigation of the scaling of columnar joints.” Phys. Rev. E: Stat. Nonlinear Soft Matter Phys. 74 (3): 036115. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.74.036115.
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 modeling.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng. 50 (7): 1919–1931. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-017-1192-4.
Jia, C. J., W. Y. Xu, R. B. Wang, S. S. Wang, and Z. N. Lin. 2018. “Experimental investigation on shear creep properties of undisturbed rock discontinuity in Baihetan Hydropower Station.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 104 (Feb): 27–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2018.02.011.
Kantha, L. H. 1981. “‘Basalt fingers’—Origin of columnar joints?” Geol. Mag. 118 (3): 251–264. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0016756800035731.
Muller, G. 1998. “Experimental simulation of basalt columns.” J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 86 (98): 93–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0377-0273(98)00045-6.
Shi, A. C., Y. F. Wei, Y. H. Zhang, and M. F. Tang. 2020. “Study on the strength characteristics of columnar jointed basalt with a true triaxial apparatus at the Baihetan hydropower station.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng. 53 (11): 4947–4965. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-020-02195-z.
Singh, M., and K. S. 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.
Wasantha, P. L. P., W. J. Darlington, and P. G. Ranjith. 2012. “Characterization of mechanical behaviour of saturated sandstone using a newly developed triaxial apparatus.” Exp. Mech. 53 (5): 871–882. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-012-9690-5.
Xia, Y., C. Zhang, H. Zhou, J. Hou, G. Su, Y. Gao, N. Liu, and H. K. Singh. 2020. “Mechanical behavior of structurally reconstructed irregular columnar jointed rock mass using 3D printing.” Eng. Geol. 2020 (1): 268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2020.105509.
Xiang, Z. P., H. L. Wang, W. Y. Xu, L. Q. Li, and M. Cai. 2019. “Mechanical behavior of rock-like specimens with hidden smooth joints under triaxial compression.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 31 (7): 04019130. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0002787.
Zhang, J. C., Z. N. Lin, B. Dong, and R. X. Guo. 2021a. “Triaxial compression testing at constant and reducing confining pressure for the mechanical characterization of a specific type of sandstone.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng. 54 (4): 1999–2012. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-020-02357-z.
Zhang, T., W. Y. Xu, W. Huang, and G. Y. Wu. 2020. “Experimental study on mechanical properties of multi-layered rock mass and statistical damage constitutive model under hydraulic-mechanical coupling.” Eur. J. Environ. Civ. Eng. 2020 (Jan): 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/19648189.2020.1763841.
Zhang, T., W. Y. Xu, H. L. Wang, R. B. Wang, L. Yan, and M. T. Hu. 2021b. “Anisotropic mechanical behaviour of columnar jointed rock masses subjected to cyclic loading: An experimental investigation.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. 2021 (Jan): 148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2021.104954.
Zhang, T., W. Y. Xu, R. B. Wang, L. Yan, and M. J. He. 2021c. “Deformation characteristics of cement mortar under triaxial cyclic loading: An experimental investigation.” Int. J. Fatigue 150 (Sep): 106305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2021.106305.
Zhang, T., W. Y. Xu, and J. R. Xu. 2022. “Experimental and numerical investigations on the mechanical behavior of basalt in the dam foundation of the Baihetan Hydropower Station.” Int. J. Geomech. 22 (2): 04021272. https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)gm.1943-5622.0002267.

Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 35Issue 3March 2023

History

Received: Feb 16, 2022
Accepted: Jun 15, 2022
Published online: Dec 20, 2022
Published in print: Mar 1, 2023
Discussion open until: May 20, 2023

Permissions

Request permissions for this article.

Authors

Affiliations

Ph.D. Student, Research Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, Hohai Univ., Nanjing 210098, PR China; Ph.D. Student, Laboratory of Multiscale and Multiphysics Mechanics, Univ. of Lille, LaMcube, Lille 59000, France. Email: [email protected]
Professor, Research Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, Hohai Univ., Nanjing 210098, PR China (corresponding author). Email: [email protected]
Huanling Wang [email protected]
Professor, Research Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, Hohai Univ., Nanjing 210098, PR China. Email: [email protected]
Associate Professor, Research Institute of Geotechnical Engineering, Hohai Univ., Nanjing 210098, PR China. Email: [email protected]
Jianrong Xu [email protected]
Professorate Senior Engineer, Huadong Engineering Corporation Limited, Power China, 201 Gaojiao Rd., Hangzhou, Jiangzhe 310014, China. Email: [email protected]

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.

View Options

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Article
$35.00
Add to cart

Get Access

Access content

Please select your options to get access

Log in/Register Log in via your institution (Shibboleth)
ASCE Members: Please log in to see member pricing

Purchase

Save for later Information on ASCE Library Cards
ASCE Library Cards let you download journal articles, proceedings papers, and available book chapters across the entire ASCE Library platform. ASCE Library Cards remain active for 24 months or until all downloads are used. Note: This content will be debited as one download at time of checkout.

Terms of Use: ASCE Library Cards are for individual, personal use only. Reselling, republishing, or forwarding the materials to libraries or reading rooms is prohibited.
ASCE Library Card (5 downloads)
$105.00
Add to cart
ASCE Library Card (20 downloads)
$280.00
Add to cart
Buy Single Article
$35.00
Add to cart

Media

Figures

Other

Tables

Share

Share

Copy the content Link

Share with email

Email a colleague

Share