Abstract
This paper performed numerical simulations of effects of unloading on occurrence of rock lateral cracks by using the numerical analysis software. The results indicate that the probability of median cracks and Hertz cracks occurrence was decreased due to the residual stress caused by stress mismatch during unloading, while the probability of lateral cracks occurrence was increased. The lateral cracks were tended to occur with the increasing of the amount of unloading and confining pressure. And the initiation direction of lateral cracks is more parallel to the rock surface, although the initiation direction became the same at the end. The relative positions of lateral cracks occurred were more concentrated during unloading process under the same confining pressure.
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