Triaxial Cyclic Loading Research Articles

Investigation of geometric morphology and fluid flow characteristics of natural fracture in tight sandstone under non-loading and true triaxial cyclic loading

Understanding the flow characteristics of rock fractures under stress is critical for many geological engineering applications. In this study, flow experiments are conducted on tight sandstone samples with a single natural fracture under true triaxial cyclic loading using the geotechnical consulting and testing systems. The geometric morphology of the fracture is scanned before and after loading using a profilometer. An improved cubic law is developed by including correction factors for stationary roughness, surface tortuosity, and hydraulic tortuosity. The evolution of fracture permeability during cyclic loading of each principal stress is measured using the steady-state method. The results show that (1) the surface tortuosity of the natural fracture correlates as a binary quadratic function with its fractal dimension and joint roughness coefficient. (2) The improved cubic law model has higher accuracy in predicting the permeability of the opening natural fracture than other commonly used modified cubic law models. (3) The principal stresses exhibit an anisotropic influence on fracture permeability. During cyclic loading of principal stress parallel to the fracture, the changes in fracture permeability are neglectable. (4) During cyclic loading of principal stress perpendicular to the fracture, the fracture permeability decreases significantly in the first loading cycle, exhibiting a hysteresis effect. In subsequent cycles, the changes in fracture permeability are nearly reversible, indicating the stress-memory effect of the natural fracture. This study provides direct evidence for the hysteresis and stress-memory effects in the permeability evolution of fractured rock during true triaxial cyclic loading.

Energy Evolution and Fractal Characteristics of Sandstones Under True Triaxial Cyclic Loading and Unloading

To study the fractal characteristics and energy evolution of sandstones under true three-dimensional stress states, a true triaxial compression test and a cyclic loading and unloading test of sandstone specimens under different loads were carried out using a self-developed true triaxial disturbance testing system. Based on the evolution law of true triaxial cyclic loading and unloading stress–strain, the types of loading and unloading in the cyclic loading and unloading test were delineated, and the reasons for the change in peak maximum principal stress intensity under different paths were analyzed. By analyzing the crushing characteristics of rock samples under different paths, it was found that the staged cyclic loading and unloading caused the greatest damage to the rock mass, while the equal-amplitude and unequal-lower-limit staged loading and unloading caused the least damage to the rock mass. Based on fractal theory, it was found that the rock samples under path V had the highest fractal dimension D. The elastic energy density, dissipated energy density, and input energy density of true triaxial cyclic loading and unloading under different paths were calculated by graphical area integration and superposition methods, respectively, to analyze the evolution of the three with the increase in the loading and unloading cycles and the energy distribution during the loading and unloading process. True triaxial cyclic loading and unloading tests revealed a linear relationship between the elastic energy density and total input energy density of the rock mass, and the energy storage coefficient exceeded 0.5, regardless of the loading path.

Experimental study on creep characteristics of electrolyte-bearing salt rock under long-term triaxial cyclic loading

During the operation of the Salt Cavern Flow Battery (SCFB) system, the rock surrounding a salt cavern is subjected to erosion by the electrolyte. To study the creep characteristics of electrolyte-bearing salt rock under long-term triaxial cyclic loading in SCFB, a triaxial creep experiment with a cycle period of 1 day was conducted. The results indicated that, when not subjected to failure, the axial stress-strain curve of electrolyte-bearing sample undergoes only two phases of “sparse-dense”, entering dense phase approximately 4 cycles earlier than that of sample without electrolyte. Under the same stress conditions, the strain generated in electrolyte-bearing salt rock surpasses that of sample without electrolyte, demonstrating an initial rapid increase followed by a gradual stabilization trend. The stress-strain curve of electrolyte-bearing sample in a single cycle can be divided into six stages. The number of cycles has almost no effect on the axial strain in stages I, IV, V and VI, and the axial strain in stages IV and VI is basically 0. Additionally, the elastic deformation generated in stage I is basically recovered in stage V. The strain in stage II gradually decreases and disappears in the 4th cycle, which is 13 cycles earlier than that of the sample without electrolyte. The creep rate of electrolyte-bearing sample shows a trend of “gradual decrease—basically stabilization” as the number of cycles increases, and the creep experiment contains only the decay creep stage and steady creep stage. Irreversible deformation of electrolyte-bearing sample exhibits a gradual decrease followed by stabilization with increasing number of cycles. The research findings hold significant implications for the stability analysis of SCFB systems.

Comparison Study on Damage Characteristics of Deeply Buried Granite Under Triaxial Cyclic Loading and Unloading

Comparison Study on Damage Characteristics of Deeply Buried Granite Under Triaxial Cyclic Loading and Unloading

Effects of Fatigue Load Amplitude on the Mechanical and Energy Evolution Characteristics of Stratified Rock Mass under Triaxial Cyclic Loading and Unloading Conditions

Effects of Fatigue Load Amplitude on the Mechanical and Energy Evolution Characteristics of Stratified Rock Mass under Triaxial Cyclic Loading and Unloading Conditions

Damage index correlation in massive granite-porous backfills under hydromechanical triaxial cyclic loading using acoustic emissions and X-ray computed tomography

The characterization accuracy of damage indices in massive and porous composite biomaterials under complex osmotic conditions has long been a challenge in engineering materials science. Establishing correlations between damage indices calculated using different methodologies is crucial to validate and improve defects characterizations. In this study, we investigated the damage index correlation of cylindrical massive granite-porous backfill structural composites under both dry and seepage conditions. A series of triaxial cyclic loading and unloading tests were conducted on specimens under hydromechanical conditions with varying osmotic pressures (0, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 MPa) and a confining pressure of 9 MPa involving acoustic emission monitoring and phase-based 3D nondestructive CT scanning. The results revealed the AE energy was lower under osmotic conditions compared to dry conditions. The AE Damage Index (DAE), defined by separating tensile and shear microcracking signals, significantly increased from 0.32 to 0.55 with rising osmotic pressure. 3D mesoscopic fracture visualization provided detailed insights into the fractures in granite and backfill interfaces. The number of small-angle cracks increased with osmotic pressure, and the crack inclination distribution range expanded from 63°- 85° to 49°–80°. The average crack angle showed a significant monotonic decrease with increasing osmotic pressure. An Energy Dissipation Damage Index (DED) was defined, and its correlation with the DAE under dry conditions was modeled using a reciprocal function DED=a/(DAE+bσ3)+c. This novel approach offers insights into the transition points between tensile and shear-dominated failure stages. Furthermore, an exponential function DV=aDAEb(b<0) was used to model the correlation between AE Damage Index and Visual Damage Index (DV) under osmotic conditions. The damage indices derived from different methods can be mathematically correlated, providing a comprehensive evaluation of material damage states. The study found the flow transition between different natural-human medias results in different damage mechanisms, which are all obey the correlation law. These damage mechanisms offered constructive recommendations for engineering applications based on varying ratios of osmotic pressure to confining pressure.

Damage evolution and acoustic emission characteristics of sandstone under different true triaxial cyclic loading and unloading modes

In the process of deep coal mining, the cyclic mining disturbance behavior produces significant cyclic loading and unloading effects, to ensure safe production in the mining area, it is necessary to study the damage characteristics and acoustic emission characteristics of the rock body under different cyclic loading and unloading effects. This study developed a TAWZ-5000/3000 rock true triaxial (disturbance) test system and used it to carry out true triaxial cyclic loading and unloading tests in different modes, with acoustic emission (AE) monitoring of the deformation and damage processes. The test results proved that a large number of cycles weakens the rock’s ability to control deformation, and this weakening ability is also related to the types of cyclic loading and unloading modes. The hysteresis loop characteristics and mechanical parameters show obvious path dependence. Based on the damage equivalence method, it is found that the absolute damage parameter increases with the increase of the number of cycles in the same mode, and the accumulation rate of the cumulative damage parameter is faster; the cumulative damage parameter in the equal amplitude cyclic loading and unloading (EAC) mode is always higher than that in the other two modes. The normalized AE ring count rate in the rock samples under cyclic loading and unloading has a significant relationship with the damage percentage, and the crack extension scale function (b-value) shows the “steady increase – strong fluctuation − significant decline” trend. By analyzing the AE characteristic parameters, namely rise time/amplitude (RA) and ringing count/duration (AF), it is found that the sandstones in EAC, graded cyclic loading and unloading (GC), and stepped cyclic loading and unloading (SC) modes are mainly damaged by tension-shear and shear, respectively. By analyzing the values of the acoustic emission parameters RA-AF, it is found that the sandstone is mainly damaged by tensile shear, tensile tension, and shear under EAC, GC, and SC modes, respectively, corresponding to the rock samples’ damage patterns. The study results have important guiding significance for preventing and controlling disasters in deep mines.

Characteristics of Energy Evolution and Failure Mechanisms in Sandstone Subject to Triaxial Cyclic Loading and Unloading Conditions

This study investigates the energy dynamics of sandstone subjected to failure in conditions typical of deep underground construction. Research was conducted using both standard triaxial compression and cyclic loading–unloading techniques at six distinct confining pressures, with the objective of elucidating the deformation and failure processes of rock materials. The tests demonstrated that, regardless of the stress path, sandstone primarily fails through shear under different confining pressures, which also reduces the formation of secondary cracks. The energy transformation observed during cyclic loading and unloading processes exhibits a distinctive peak-like distribution, marked by an inflection point that indicates changes in energy distribution. In the initial stages of the loading cycle, the energy profile of the rock increases, characterized by a condition in which the energy stored elastically exceeds the energy dissipated. Nevertheless, subsequent to reaching peak stress, there is a rapid transmutation of elastic strain energy into other forms, culminating in a pronounced elevation in the ratio of dissipated energy, which ultimately achieves a state of equilibrium influenced by the confining pressures. The study introduces the energy consumption ratio (Ke) as a metric for assessing rock damage accumulation and stability, noting a critical pattern where Ke decreases and then spikes at the rock’s failure point, with K = 1 identified as the critical threshold for failure. This comprehensive analysis illuminates the intricate relationship between energy distribution patterns and the stability of rock structures, thereby enhancing our understanding of failure mechanisms from an energetic perspective.

Mechanical Properties of Latex-Modified Cement Stone under Uniaxial and Triaxial Cyclic Loading.

During the cyclic injection and extraction process in underground storage wellbores, the cement sheath undergoes loading and unloading stress cycles. In this study, we investigated the mechanical properties of latex-modified cement stone (LMCS), widely used in oil and gas wells, through uniaxial and triaxial cyclic loading and unloading tests. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of various loading conditions on the compressive strength and stress-strain behavior of LMCS. The results show that the stress-strain curve of LMCS exhibits a hysteresis loop phenomenon, with the loop intervals decreasing throughout the entire cyclic loading and unloading process. As the number of cycles increases, the cumulative plastic strain of the LMCS increases approximately linearly. Under uniaxial cyclic loading and unloading conditions, the elastic modulus tends to stabilize. However, under triaxial conditions, the elastic modulus increases continuously as the number of cycles increases. This result provides data for engineering predictions. Furthermore, a comparison of the uniaxial and triaxial cyclic loading and unloading of LMCS shows that its cumulative plastic strain develops rapidly under uniaxial conditions, while the elastic modulus is larger under triaxial conditions. These findings provide a valuable reference for constructing underground storage wellbores.

Characteristics and Association Mechanism of Energy Dissipation and Crack Development in Siltstone Under Triaxial Cyclic Loading and Unloading

Characteristics and Association Mechanism of Energy Dissipation and Crack Development in Siltstone Under Triaxial Cyclic Loading and Unloading

Strain energy dissipation during liquefaction of fibre-reinforced sand under undrained cyclic triaxial loading

Strain energy dissipation during liquefaction of fibre-reinforced sand under undrained cyclic triaxial loading

The Experimental Characterization of Iron Ore Tailings from a Geotechnical Perspective

The mining industry produces large amounts of tailings which are disposed of in deposits, which neglects their potential value and represents important economic, social and environmental risks. Consequently, implementing circular economy principles using these unconventional geomaterials may decrease the wide-ranging impacts of raw material extraction. This paper presents an experimental characterization of iron ore tailings, which are the most abundant type of mining waste. The characterization includes various aspects of behavior that are relevant to different types of use as a building material, including physical and identification properties, compaction behavior and stress–strain properties under undrained monotonic and cyclic triaxial loading. The tailings tested can be described as low-plasticity silty sand materials with an average solids density of 4.7, a maximum dry unit weight close to 3 g/cm3 and a higher angle of friction and liquefaction resistance than common granular materials. The experimental results highlight the particular features of the behavior of iron ore tailings and emphasize the potentially promising combination of high shear resistance and high density that favors particular geotechnical applications. Overall, the conclusions provide the basis for promoting the use of mining wastes in the construction of sustainable geotechnical works and underpin the advanced analysis of tailings storage facilities’ safety founded on an open-minded geotechnical approach.

Correlating ballast resilient modulus with particle movement through SmartRock sensing

The resilient modulus of ballast is a key parameter in assessing track quality and is influenced by various loading conditions, such as deviator stress, bulk stress, loading frequency, and confining pressure. These factors, when incorporated into different models, can sometimes complicate their application in track maintenance planning. Therefore, a simplified model that collectively considers these factors would be beneficial in practical applications for estimating the ballast resilient modulus. This study utilizes smart sensing technology, SmartRock, to track particle movement during large-scale triaxial cyclic loading tests, exploring the potential correlation between ballast resilient modulus and particle motion. The findings indicate that the settling acceleration of ballast particles significantly impacts the ballast resilient modulus. This effect is dependent on the applied cyclic loading pulses, an aspect previously overlooked in research. Consequently, an index termed the Cyclic Loading and Acceleration Index (CLAI) has been introduced. CLAI integrates the effects of deviator stress, loading frequency, loading pulses, and settling acceleration. Based on CLAI, a simplified model for ballast resilient modulus has been developed and validated.

Experimental and Numerical Simulation Investigation of Cement Sheath Integrity during Multi-Stage Fracturing in Offshore Tight Oil Reservoir

The integrity of the cement sheath is susceptible to failure during multi-stage fracturing. In this study, the failure mechanisms of cement sheath integrity during multi-stage fracturing in the A offshore tight oil reservoir wells were investigated. The cement samples were subject to triaxial compression test (TCT), triaxial cyclic loading test (TCLT), and permeability test. A full-scale device was constructed for cement sheath integrity experiments. Additionally, a 3-D finite element model was developed to simulate the interface debonding and the subsequent growth of micro-annuli throughout multi-stage fracturing. The results revealed that TCLT induced cumulative plastic deformation in the cement samples, resulting in a 10.7% decrease in triaxial compressive strength, an 8.3% decrease in elastic modulus, and a 150% increase in permeability. Despite these significant variations, no serious damage was caused to the cement sheath matrix. It was observed that gas leakage occurred at the 8th, 10th, and 14th cycles under cyclic loading with upper limits of 70 MPa, 80 MPa, and 90 MPa, respectively. After 15 cycles, the experimentally measured widths of micro-annuli were 117 μm, 178 μm, and 212 μm, which were in good agreement with simulation results of 130 μm, 165 μm, and 205 μm, respectively. These findings elucidate the causes of cement sheath integrity failure, providing insights into the failure mechanisms of cement sheath integrity during multi-stage fracturing.

Evaluation of large axial strain of granular sand in post-liquefaction stage using DEM simulation

Field investigations in recent studies have revealed that significant damage to foundations often occurs in the post-liquefaction stage, during which sand undergoes substantial deformation. As a result, numerous researchers have dedicated considerable effort to studying the evolution of the axial strain at this stage. However, the accurate measurement of the exact value of this strain is challenging mainly owing to the limitations of the triaxial apparatus. In this study, the numerical method of discrete element method (DEM) is used to simulate undrained cyclic triaxial loading tests according to a large number of loading cycles. The mechanical behaviour of granular sand under different cell pressures was reproduced using the DEM method, wherein the liquefaction resistance increased with the cell pressure. The post-liquefaction axial strain exhibited a similar pattern of variation among the calculated cases at different cell pressures. The value of the double amplitude of the axial strain stabilised at a maximum value after a certain loading cycle. The microscopic characteristics derived from the DEM calculations, including the contact number and force chain network, were analysed to provide reasonable explanations. The sand fabric was re-established after a large number of loading cycles and controlled by cyclic loading, which helped stabilise the accumulated axial strain.

Correlational fractal analysis of the Kaiser effect in rock: implications for salt-cavern engineering under triaxial cyclic loading and unloading

ABSTRACT The Kaiser effect exhibits stress-induced changes in the acoustic properties of rock, so accurately identifying the Kaiser point of rock under complex conditions is essential for understanding the damage and failure mechanisms. In this paper, triaxial loading and unloading tests were conducted on salt rock using MTS815 material testing machine and PCI-II acoustic emission (AE) system. By introducing the Kaiser point calculation approach involving AE signal optimisation, Grassberger-Procaccia (GP) algorithm, K-means clustering, and random sample consensus (RANSAC) algorithm, we achieved enhanced accuracy in analysing the Kaiser effect for salt rock. The cumulative AE energy exhibited a distinct surge point during the cycle number (N) was less than 21, closely aligned with the optimised key AE energy point. For N > 21, the cumulative energy displayed stable changes, rendering conventional method ineffective. By utilising screened AE signals (8796 samples) within the GP algorithm, the surge point of cumulative energy consistently aligned with the sudden drop point of the correlation dimension when N<21, with a maximum error of 6 s. Remarkably, the GP algorithm identified the prominent Kaiser point even when N > 21, suggesting its applicability throughout the loading cycle.

Mechanical Behavior and Energy Dissipation of Sandstone–Shotcrete under Monotonic and Cyclic Triaxial Loading

Mechanical Behavior and Energy Dissipation of Sandstone–Shotcrete under Monotonic and Cyclic Triaxial Loading

Experimental study on damage evolution process, seepage characteristics, and energy response of columnar jointed basalt under true triaxial cyclic loading

The physical response of Columnar Jointed Basalt (CJB) under a stress–seepage coupling field is of great significance for dam safety and oil and gas reservoir evaluation. A true triaxial experimental machine was used for investigating the deformation, damage evolution characteristics, seepage properties, and energy response of the CJB. Before the start of the test, a series of uniaxial compression tests were used to determine the ratio of similar materials, and the cyclic loading test results indicate that: The strength characteristics of CJB decreases slowly and then increases rapidly as the dip angle β varies from 0° to 90° under two loading conditions of the tiered cyclic loading (T–C) and the constant amplitude cyclic loading (CA–C), showing an obvious U–shaped trend, and four different loading stages can be distinguished by characteristic stress. In the yield stage, the stress–strain curve shows an obvious plastic hysteresis loop, there is a strong correlation between the failure modes of the CJB and β of the specimen, the joint surface gradually deteriorates owing to loading and unloading conditions, and structural control failure occurs widely in specimens. The damage evolution process is discussed in combination with the Load–Unloading Response Ratio, and the relative damage amount (Df) is defined by cycle index. The permeability–axial stress relationship of the specimen conforms to the power exponential relationship, and the permeability evolution characteristics are strongly correlated with the degree of damage. The energy response of the CJB were investigated by tress–strain curve, under two loading modes, T–C and CA–C, the cumulative curves of dissipation energy Ed can be fitted by an exponential function and a logarithmic function, respectively. The findings of this research hold immense importance for clarifying the mechanical and seepage properties of CJB under a stress–seepage coupling field.

Dynamic Properties and Dynamic Response Model of Jointed Granites by Cyclic Loading

The present study investigates the dynamic properties of granite samples with varying degrees of defects through triaxial cyclic loading experiments conducted under different conditions, including varied confining pressures, loading frequencies, dynamic stress amplitudes, and number of cycles, and the dynamic response model of granite samples influenced by the confining pressure and frequency are constructed. The results show that the dynamic elastic modulus of granite increases, but its dynamic damping ratio decreases as the confining pressure increases. The dynamic elastic modulus and dynamic damping ratio of the granite increase as increasing frequency. The dynamic elastic modulus of granite increases with the increasing dynamic stress amplitude while its dynamic damping ratio decreases. The dynamic elastic modulus and dynamic damping ratio of granite decreases with an increasing number of cycles. The modified Duncan–Chang model can well describe the dynamical behavior of granite influenced by the confining pressure and frequency. The correlation coefficients of the modified model reached 0.98. It is worth saying that the correlation coefficient of the model is low at 20 Hz frequency. It indicates that frequency has a strong effect on the dynamic response of granite compared with the confining pressure. These data and models will be applied to the next step of detection and prediction of the tunnel rock stress state.

Evolution characteristics of fracture volume and acoustic emission entropy of monzogranite under cyclic loading

The volume evolution behavior of rock fissures and the characteristics of acoustic emission under cyclic loading are critical for rock stability analysis. To study the volume change behavior of monzogranite fissures and the characteristics of acoustic emission signals under cyclic loading, we selected samples of monzogranite at − 1600 m from a gold mine located in the Jiaodong Peninsula at a depth of − 1600 m and investigated the samples using triaxial cyclic loading—unloading tests and acoustic emission monitoring. As the volume change behavior of the monzogranite fissures and acoustic emission signals were monitored and recorded, the calculated fracture volume strain ratio coefficient and acoustic emission entropy value were proposed to describe the evolution process of fissures inside the rock. The research results showed that the volume strain ratio curve of the rock fractures exhibited a logarithmic variation characteristic during the cyclic loading and unloading, and the fracture volume strain ratio better reflected the relative scale of the internal fracture strain in the rock to the total volume strain. The acoustic emission entropy value reflected the crack evolution behavior during the loading and failure processes, which was a rapid decline in the initial stage of loading and a rapid upward trend in the failure stage. The observed “V”-shaped change in the acoustic emission entropy can be used as an early warning for rock failure. The research results can provide theoretical guidance for rock stability analysis.