Experimental and numerical investigation of the fracture behavior in granite specimens with two co-planar side flaws under biaxial loading

Abstract

It is well known that the structural plane plays a decisive role in the mechanical properties of rock mass. To better understand the cracking mechanism and stress characteristics of co-planar intermittent double-flawed granite specimens with various dip angles (Abbreviated as flawed specimens), two co-planar flaws were prefabricated on both sides of the granite, and biaxial compression tests were conducted. The failure characteristics and local microstrain were recorded by the camera and strain acquisition instrument. The evolution law of mechanical parameters of flawed specimens was analyzed. Simultaneously, a two-dimensional particle flow code (PFC2D) was used to establish a biaxial compression model of flawed specimens. The crack initiation and propagation of the specimens were explained by the crack hot spot, the evolution law of crack, and the evolution law of the number of microcracks. It is found that (a) as flaw dip angle (α) increases, peak strength and elastic modulus initially decrease and then increase, with reductions ranging from 17.6% to 46.1% and 15.6% to 48.2%, respectively. (b) Increasing lateral stress (σ2) triggers a shift in failure mode from a tensile-shear mixed failure to a shear failure. The cohesion (c) and friction angle (φ) of flawed specimens were notably smaller compared to those of intact specimens, with reductions correlating with the α. (c) Flawed specimens exhibit pronounced contact force concentration and stress concentration at the flaw tip. The analysis of the microstrain confirms stress concentration at the flaw tip, leading to failure. However, various σ2 induces the differences in the magnitude and extent of tip stress.