Major Principal Stress Direction Research Articles

A coupled thermo-mechanical model for investigating cracking and failure of composite interbedded rock

Composite interbedded rock is a special geological phenomenon that occurs when layers of rock (beds) of a given lithology lie between or alternate with other layers of a different lithology. The thermal and mechanical properties of the composite interbedded rocks exhibit strong anisotropy. Studying the thermomechanical coupling properties of natural composite interbedded rocks using existing experimental techniques is challenging. A novel thermal-mechanical coupled composite interbedded rock model was developed based on Fourier's heat-conduction law and Newton's second law. The thermodynamic responses and biaxial mechanical properties of composite interbedded rocks with different interlayer angles under the coupling of initial stress and thermal loading were studied for the first time. The results indicate that the thermal stresses within the granite interlayers are higher than those within the sandstone interlayers. Throughout the thermal loading process, thermal cracking occurred primarily within the (stiffer) granite interlayers. The number of thermal cracks generated during the cooling process far exceeds that during heating; at 400 °C, the number of thermal cracks during cooling is more than 35 times that during heating. When the interlayer dip angle approaches 90° and is aligned with the major principal stress direction, the phenomenon of the “double peaks” and layered failure becomes more pronounced. Within the range of variables considered, the relative impact of the three variables on peak stress in composite interbedded rock is as follows, from greatest to least: interlayer angle, thermal shock temperature, and model size. The results and developed modeling methods will contribute to the management and optimization of future engineering geology projects.

Micromechanical modeling of hollow cylinder torsional shear test on sand using discrete element method

Previous studies on the hollow cylinder torsional shear test (HCTST) have mainly focused on the macroscopic behavior, while the micromechanical responses in soil specimens with shaped particles have rarely been investigated. This paper develops a numerical model of the HCTST using the discrete element method (DEM). The method of bonded spheres in a hexagonal arrangement is proposed to generate flexible boundaries that can achieve real-time adjustment of the internal and external cell pressures and capture the inhomogeneous deformation in the radial direction during shearing. Representative angular particles are selected from Toyoura sand and reproduced in this model to approximate real sand particles. The model is then validated by comparing numerical and experimental results of HCTSTs on Toyoura sand with different major principal stress directions. Next, a series of HCTSTs with different combinations of major principal stress direction (α) and intermediate principal stress ratio (b) is simulated to quantitatively characterize the sand behavior under different shear conditions. The results show that the shaped particles are horizontally distributed before shearing, and the initial anisotropic packing structure further results in different stress–strain curves in cases with different α and b values. The distribution of force chains is affected by both α and b during the shear process, together with the formation of the shear bands in different patterns. The contact normal anisotropy and contact force anisotropy show different evolution patterns when either α or b varies, resulting in the differences in the non-coaxiality and other macroscopic responses. This study improves the understanding of the macroscopic response of sand from a microscopic perspective and provides valuable insights for the constitutive modeling of sand.

A conceptual three-dimensional frictional model to predict the effect of the intermediate principal stress based on the Mohr-Coulomb and Hoek-Brown failure criteria

The intermediate effective principal stress has a considerable influence on rock strength as shown by true-triaxial data on intact rock. Therefore, a failure criterion that incorporates all three principal stresses may provide an improved prediction of failure than one that considers only the major and minor effective principal stresses. This study introduces a generalisation method, which converts two-dimensional failure criteria (i.e., Mohr-Coulomb and Hoek-Brown failure criteria) to three-dimensional failure criteria, for the prediction of this true-triaxial data. This method is based on a physical mechanism, and it assumes that the potential failure surface of a material has roughness, which provides additional frictional resistance when the intermediate effective principal stress is greater than the minor effective principal stress. This roughness is introduced theoretically by assuming a repeating diamond-shaped element over the failure surface. These roughness elements have the same dip as predicted by the Mohr-Coulomb and Hoek-Brown failure criteria but are offset by the dip direction angle which is assumed similar to that calculated traditionally from the major effective principal stress direction to the failure surface. With this roughness, it is shown that the major effective principal stress at failure can be predicted using an explicit solution that uses the intermediate and minor effective principal stresses and the Mohr-Coulomb or Hoek-Brown parameters as inputs. This generalisation predicts the same strength as the Mohr-Coulomb or Hoek-Brown failure criteria under conventional triaxial loading conditions, when the intermediate and minor effective principal stresses are equal. Under general stress conditions, this generalisation produces results that are aligned closely with the true-triaxial data as well as other previous theoretical predictions. This method importantly gives a possible physical mechanism for the strengthening influence of the intermediate effective principal stress. This may lead to a more accurate prediction of the rock strength under general stress conditions.

DEM-based study of hydraulic fracturing mechanism under high internal water pressure

To solve the problem of fracturing due to high water pressure when pumping in the diversion tunnel, the mechanism of hydraulic fracturing (HF) in the tunnel under high internal water pressure is studied. A numerical model of HF considering water-rock interaction is established using the PFC2D discrete element simulation software. The HF mechanism of surrounding rock under high internal water pressure is studied, and the development process of hydraulic cracks is obtained. The influence of surrounding rock parameters on fracturing is analyzed and the law between principal stress and crack development is investigated. The high-pressure water injection test under different tunnel diameters is also carried out. Numerical test research shows that under the action of high internal water pressure, the surrounding rock at the cavity wall splits first, and the water entering the crack generates water pressure on the crack sidewall, which in turn generates tensile stress at the crack tip and further causes the crack expansion. The crack length is exponentially related to the internal water pressure. The high internal water pressure decays gradually with the crack extension distance and stabilizes when the crack extension reaches a certain length because the water pressure is less than the tensile strength of the surrounding rock. The fracturing results indicate that the process of HF damage is tensile types, and the increase of cohesion plays a suppressive role in crack opening, while the internal friction angle has little effect on the HF effect. The influence of principal stress on the HF result shows that the direction of HF is along the direction of major principal stress. The major principal stress promotes the cracking, while the minor principal stress inhibits the crack growth. By simulating the water injection test for different hole diameters of the diversion tunnel, it is found that the fracturing distance of the surrounding rock increases approximately linearly with the increase of the hole diameter. The test results can provide a basis for the design and construction of high-pressure tunnels such as pumped storage power plants.

3D characterization of localized shear failure in loess subject to triaxial loading

The reduction of shear strength of loess slopes is generally driven by localized failure in loess that lowers the trigger thresholds of major landslide geohazards in these materials. Shear failure is initially manifested as discontinuous microscale fractures that progressively develop into macroscale rupture surfaces. In this study, the development of localized shear failure in Malan loess is investigated through an approach combining laboratory triaxial shear test and X-ray micro-computed tomography (μ-CT). The spatial distribution and morphological evolution of fractures associated with the shear failure plane are observed at different loading stages in a non-destructive manner. It is found that, with ongoing strain, the number and persistence of multiple undulating fracture surfaces gradually increase after peak strength condition are reached until a single, dominant shear failure plane is formed. Most fracture surfaces are oblique to the major principal stress direction forming a shear band of finite thickness. Within this band it is possible to observe zones where varying strain magnitude is accommodated by a network of fracture surfaces. The effect of strain accumulation and local shear failure on the sample's macroporosity was determined by performing calculations on the CT images of each loading stage. Whereas the bulk sample underwent a reduction in macroporosity as a result of the triaxial compression, movement along undulating fracture surfaces results in the opening (and closing) of apertures with ongoing shear strain within a shear band of finite thickness. The overall result is an increase in macroporosity in this shear band with an estimated thickness of approximately 5 mm. Image analysis also allows characterization of changes in the 3D macropore network of the original loess fabric. Macropore network can be disconnected, dislocated and even destroyed when affected by shear failure development. These morphological variations of macropores serve as benchmarks that indicate the early initiation and expanding range of local shear failure and also allow the evaluation of the effect of local shear failure on seepage characteristics. The results of this study could provide important insights into multi-scale modelling of mechanical behaviour of loess.

Laboratory characterization of induced seismicity

Subsurface fluid injection causes an increase in seismic activity near injection sites. To ensure public safety and improve public acceptance of subsurface fluid injection, it is important to understand the underlying mechanisms giving rise to these behaviors and characterize the factors affecting induced seismicity. The work reported here aims to better understand induced seismicity in faulted/fractured subsurface rock formations. A series of experiments are conducted in core flooding and triaxial configurations on test samples with a preexisting fracture/fault to study frictional slipping at small and large scales respectively. The geometries of both surfaces on either side of the fault are characterized using x-ray CT. The extent of fault gouging in a specimen after slipping is quantified by defining a cumulative gouging parameter using x-ray CT measurements before and after the experiment. Acoustic emission (AE) events emanating from the specimens in both configurations are monitored. The results demonstrate that (1) the orientation of fault relative to the major principal stress direction affects the slip characteristics, (2) frictional slipping at a fault can occur at different length scales, (3) with an increase in the scale of slipping, the spectral ratio of low-frequency bins increases while high-frequency bins reduces, and (4) locations on the fault surface that exhibit a sudden change in surface normal are most susceptible to gouging/damage during frictional slipping.

An improved generalized plasticity model for rockfill materials and its experimental and numerical verification

PurposeThe stress–strain behaviors of rockfill materials in dams are significantly affected by the anisotropy and grain crushing. However, these factors are rarely considered in numerical simulations of high rockfill dams. This study intends to develop a reasonable and practical constitutive model for rockfill materials to overcome the above problems.Design/methodology/approachThe effects of anisotropy and grain crushing are comprehensively considered by the spatial position of the reference state line. After the improved generalized plasticity model for rockfill materials (referred to as the PZR model) is developed and verified by laboratory tests, it is used with the finite element method to simulate the stress–strain behaviors of the Nuozhadu high core rockfill dam.FindingsThe simulated results agree well with the laboratory tests data and the situ monitoring data, verifying the reliability and practicability of the developed PZR model.Originality/valueA new anisotropic state parameter is proposed to reflect the nonmonotonic variation in the strength as the major principal stress direction angle varies. This advantage is verified by the simulation of a set of conventional triaxial tests with different inclination angles of the compaction plane. 2) This is the first time that the elastoplastic model is verified by the situ monitoring data of high core rockfill dams. The numerical simulation results show that the PZR model can well reflect the stress–strain characteristics of rockfill materials in high core rockfill dams and is better than the traditional EB model.

Undrained anisotropic behaviour of K 0-consolidated marine clay under cyclic stresses

To investigate the effect of major principal stress direction angles on the cyclic response of soft marine clays, a series of directional shear tests with different major principal stress direction angles on undisturbed Wenzhou marine clay were conducted in the undrained condition by using a hollow cylinder testing apparatus. The dynamic responses of the marine clays were analysed, along with the shear stress-strain relationship, octahedral strain and excess pore water pressure. Results indicate that the specimens exhibit remarkable anisotropic deformation under various major principal stress direction angles, and a larger angle causes a smaller octahedral strain of specimen under the same cyclic stress level. With the increase in the major principal stress direction angle, the excess pore water pressure decreases. At β > 45°, the increment shear stress starts dominating, which causes the sign of generated pore water pressure to change from negative to positive.

Study on the influence of different discrete forms of DDA block on mechanical properties of coarse granular material

In the triaxial compression test of soil engineering, particle breakage may occur under the double action of axial and lateral loads. So, for the DDA simulation, the internal discretization of DDA block should be carried out at first. However, different discretization may affect the final simulation results. To solve this problem, the DDA numerical models based on triangular discretization, Voronoi discretization and no discretization are established to carry out the triaxial test simulation of coarse granular material, and the influence of different discretization of DDA block on mechanical properties of coarse granular materials was compared. An improved DDA was used to simulate the triaxial tests under different confining pressures, The numerical results show that the deviatoric stress-strain curves of the three discrete forms become steeper and the peak strength also increases with the increase of confining pressure. Under the same confining pressure, the deviatoric stress-strain curve with no discretization is the steepest and the peak strength is also the largest. Although deviatoric stress-strain curve of the triangular discretization is gentler, its peak strength is closer to that with no discretization compared with the Voronoi discretization. The triangular discretization model gradually changes from contraction to dilation in the loading process, and the higher the confining pressure is, the more obvious the contraction is. At the same time, the direction of contact force gradually changes from the initial minor principal stress direction to the major principal stress direction, forming an obvious force chain, and the final particle breakage mostly occurs in an ‘X’ shaped region. The developed DDA method can accurately reflect the evolution of mechanical properties of coarse granular materials under various working conditions, and the research results can provide reference for the discrete form of blocks in similar simulation.

Neogene Kinematics of the Potwar Plateau and the Salt Range, NW Himalayan Front: A Paleostress Inversion and AMS study

ABSTRACT We provide new kinematic data from the Potwar Plateau (Pakistan) to evaluate the tectonic evolution of the region during the Neogene. The plateau is bound by two major strike-slip faults in the west and the east, accommodating its southwards translation. We have recognized two Neogene deformation phases in the plateau, based on paleostress inversion and Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility (AMS) tensors. The first phase lasted until the early Pliocene and was characterized by vertical minor stress and N-S compression, implying thrust tectonics. The second deformation phase is characterized by a near-vertical intermediate principal stress and near-horizontal major and minor stresses, interpreted to be associated with strike-slip tectonics since the late Pliocene. Kint vectors from 21 sites are relatively compatible with the major principal stress orientations (σ1) and indicate two distinct domains. This is possibly because Kmin orientations are related to compaction, whereas Kint orientations were always parallel to tectonic shortening and hence compression direction during both strike-slip (post-late Pliocene) and thrusting (pre-late Pliocene) phases. These phases are characterized by swapping of (σ2) and (σ3) orientations while (σ1) maintained its orientation. The most prominent change occurs at the western part of the Potwar Plateau, where major principal stress directions (σ1) and Kint axes fan out south-westwards. The eastern domain is dominated by NE-SW trending folds and thrust faults, which are absent in the western domain. These structural features are interpreted to be the result of the distribution of deposits of the Neoproterozoic Salt Range Formation as a substratum below the Potwar Plateau. The Salt Range Formation is very thick and widespread in the west area and almost absent in the east. This factor led to unconstrained southwards gliding of the Potwar Plateau over the salt deposits in the west as opposed to frictional sliding and substantial internal deformation in the east.

Effects of the major principal stress direction respect to the long axis of a tunnel on the tunnel stability: Physical model tests and numerical simulation

The major principal stress direction of the tunnel is one of the most important factors affecting the stability of an underground tunnel. This paper is devoted to the quantitative analysis of the effect of the major principal stress direction respect to the tunnel long axis on the stability of an underground tunnel. A total of thirty-two loading levels with three physical models combined with the numerical simulation were conducted. The results indicated that, with the decrease of the angle between the major principal stress direction and the long axis of the tunnel, the tunnel becomes more stable. For the load at which cracks begin to occur in the tunnel, when the major principal stress direction is parallel to the tunnel axis, there are no cracks in the tunnel until the load reaches approximately twice as much that of perpendicular. When the major principal stress direction is perpendicular to the tunnel axis, the failure involves spalling. The cracks initially occur at the corner of the tunnel, and then propagate along the sidewall in the form of a parabola. When the major principal stress direction is parallel to the tunnel axis, the failure involves ring-like damages. Cracks appear at the top and bottom of the tunnel, and connect with the cracks on the sidewall. With the increase of the principal stress, the effect of the major principal stress direction increases.

Cyclic Behavior of K0-Consolidated Soft Clay under Stress Paths with Different Major Principal Stress Directions

AbstractTo study the deformation response of soft clay under cyclic loads, five groups of undrained cyclic torsional shear tests were conducted under a stress path with different principal stress d...

X-ray micro-computed tomography (μ-CT) for 3D characterization of particle kinematics representing water-induced loess micro-fabric collapse

The 3D characterization of particle kinematics representing the changes in fabric observed during water-driven collapse of loess is, to the best of our knowledge, performed for the first time at the micron scale. An apparatus is specially designed to perform collapse tests on loess specimens of several millimeters in size and to capture, using X-ray tomography, particle-scale microfabric features of the sample in initial, loaded and flooded (i.e. collapsed) states. Although similar approaches have been used to assess problems such as microstructural evolution in sand, the application of these methods to assess loess collapse behaviour at the micron scale constitutes the novelty of this work. Individual particles within the specimen in the initial and deformed configurations are identified and tracked through an iterative segmentation technique and the particle tracking method ‘ID-track’. This allowed determination of particle displacement and rotation. The displacement field within the collapsed sample is found to be less uniform compared to that within the unwetted sample under loading. Coefficient of heterogeneity is defined to quantify the level of non-uniformity of the particle displacements within the deformed sample, revealing higher heterogeneity in the deformation of the collapsed sample compared to that of the unwetted sample under loading. It is also found that particles tend to rotate around axes perpendicular to, rather than parallel to, the direction of major principal stress, and the rotation magnitudes appears to be controlled largely by the size of particles while their morphology plays a minor role. The influence of porosity on the collapse process is quantified significant heterogeneous volumetric strains are observed at the single particle scale. It is also shown that the evolution of particle-to-particle contacts is much more complex than previously stated. The micron-scale investigations of individual particle kinematics following loading and wetting offer exciting new avenues for visualization and an enhanced capability for quantification of loess collapse processes.

Directional strength and stiffness characteristics of inherently anisotropic sand: The influence of deposition inclination

Evolution of soil fabric during deposition, sedimentation and subsequent shearing has been the focus of innumerous experimental and numerical studies in the past. However, the effect of inclined bedding plane on the mechanical behavior of granular materials has not been well recognized mostly due to the difficulties associated with the relevant simulations in the laboratory. In this study, a comprehensive experimental program is carried out to rigorously examine the significant influence of inclined bedding plane and deposition angle on the mechanical behavior of sands over a wide range of strains, from very small to large levels. To this end, specimens at different bedding plane angles are first prepared, frozen and then subjected to several consolidated drained (CD), consolidated undrained (CU) and bender element tests. Results show that the small strain shear stiffness and tangent axial stiffness are heavily influenced by the major principal stress direction and the deposition inclination. In terms of tangent axial stiffness, this effect is highlighted particularly before peak shear strength where the mechanical behavior of the granular material is dominated by particle interlocking. Besides, the anisotropic response of the soil is more pronounced at higher isotropic confining pressures. The volumetric behavior, internal friction angle and shear band direction are also observed to be remarkably dependent on the angle of bedding plane.

Stress Effects on Flow and Transport in Three‐Dimensional Fracture Networks

AbstractWe investigate the effects of various external stress regimes on fracture apertures, fluid flow, and solute transport in three‐dimensional fracture networks. We use well‐established geomechanics equations coupled with discrete fracture network modeling to characterize changes in primary flow paths within a complex network as a function of stress magnitude and orientation. These changes manifest in the alterations of the fluid flow field and are measured in terms of Eulerian and Lagrangian flow observables including solute transport, which is a key problem in many hydrologic applications. Changes in primary flow paths affect the solute transport in the network by promoting anomalously early arrival or long tailing behavior. However, early time arrival is not ubiquitous in anisotropically stressed networks and in most cases there is a delayed arrival of solute, which is attributed to (i) the presence of low‐velocity zones normal to the flow direction, (ii) the angle between flow direction and major compressive principal stress directions, and (iii) changes in the primary flow paths (i.e., increases in tortuosity and active network structure). Overall, flows become more channelized in anisotropically stressed fracture networks than in unstressed and isotropically stressed networks.

Physical model tests and discrete element simulation of shield tunnel face stability in anisotropic granular media

The stability of excavation face in shield tunneling plays a key role for construction safety. The ignorance of soil anisotropy in most previous studies would induce inaccurate stability assessment. This paper studies the failure of shield tunnel face in cross-anisotropic granular media by physical model tests and discrete element simulation. Model tests were carried out on the tunnel face stability in anisotropic granular media, and initial anisotropy was generated by controlling the long axis of non-spherical particles. By conducting image analysis on the picture taken by HD camera, the failure mode of tunnel face was obtained. It consists of a sliding wedge and an overlying loosen area, and the inclination angle of sliding wedge varies with the bedding plane. The variation in limit support pressure with the intersection angle of the shield tunneling direction and the soil bedding plane was obtained. Discrete element simulation was further employed to study the tunnel face stability in cross-anisotropic granular media; the microscopic parameters were calibrated by fitting against the particle drop test and repose test. Clump particle consisted of three identical ball was used in the simulations, and its long and short axes were in accordance with rice particles. The obtained varying characteristic of limit support pressure with intersection angle from simulation is consistent with the test results, and the obtained failure mode is also similar to that of physical model test. The principal stress distribution at failure state was analyzed in the discrete element simulation, and the change of major principal stress direction from vertical to nearly horizontal in the loosen area clearly shows the formation of soil arches.

Numerical appraisal of rock mass anisotropy effect on elastic deformations of a circular tunnel

The paper describes effects of anisotropic mechanical properties of rock masses on elastic behaviour of a circular tunnel under both hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic in situ stress states. This study is based on field data obtained from two actual case studies. In both cases, the rock masses have transversely isotropic structures. Hence, a 2D finite element modelling based on the equivalent continuum approach is used for the analysis. The tunnel deformation behaviour has been investigated for both isotropic and transversely isotropic conditions. To evaluate the degree of anisotropy of rock mass, an “anisotropy index” and a “normalized displacement ratio” have been defined. The effect of orientation of the isotropic planes is further investigated. The results show that in a hydrostatic stress state, the maximum displacement always occurs in a direction perpendicular to the isotropic planes. In this case, three empirical equations have been developed to compute the normalized displacement ratio, the deviation, and the direction of displacement vector at any arbitrary point on the tunnel periphery. The results further show that if the anisotropy index increases, the displacement difference (the difference between the maximum and the minimum displacements) on the tunnel walls increases too. For the non-hydrostatic stress state, simultaneous effects of stress ratio, anisotropy index, and orientation of isotropic planes on normalized displacements have been investigated. In this case, the location of maximum displacement inclines towards the direction of major principal stress. This effect is more noticeable when the isotropic planes are oriented at an angle of 90° relative to the direction of the major principal stress. The paper also provides an empirical equation to determine the location of maximum displacement on the tunnel walls. Finally, the practical application of the results is further illustrated by an actual case study.

Change in mechanical behaviour of gap-graded soil subjected to internal erosion observed in triaxial compression and torsional shear

Internal erosion can be a cause of failure in hydraulic structures such as levees, dikes and embankment dams. Suffusion is a type of internal erosion in which the fine particles migrate through the voids between the coarse particles under seepage flow, leaving behind the coarse skeleton. In this study the impacts of suffusion on the mechanical properties of soil in triaxial compression and torsional shear were investigated using a gap-graded soil mix of Silica sand No.5 and non-plastic silt. It was found that the erosion process varied depending on the initial density of the soil and higher density specimens showed relatively lower rates of erosion, degree of erosion, and compressive straining during erosion as compared with loose specimens. Effects on the mechanical behaviour​ of the soil were also dependent on the initial density of the specimen, with changes in the small strain stiffness, secant stiffness degradation, yield loci, small strain peak strength and medium strain strength in both drained and undrained conditions. In triaxial loading, force chains of coarse particles’ skeleton reinforced by fines developed in the suffusion process in the direction of major principal stress, then the stiffness at small strain increased. On the other hand, in torsional shear testing, the reinforced soil skeleton established by the erosion did not resist against shear loading. Increase in stiffness at small strain range was not observed.

Effects of in-situ stresses on dynamic rock responses under blast loading

The depletion of shallow-buried reserves has been driving the exploitation activities into the deeper crust, and the rising lithostatic stress thus poses substantial challenges to dynamic rock breakage. In this paper, we present new mechanistic insights into the effects of in-situ stresses on blast responses of intact rocks via integrated analytical and numerical analyses. An elastodynamic framework was first developed to characterize the blast wave propagation in pre-stressed rocks. The analytical solution suggests that the rock pressure can essentially promote dynamic compaction by diverting the explosive loading path and suppress fracturing by imposing circumferential compression. Such effects are more pronounced in the minor principal stress (σ3) direction of anisotropic stress fields. The rock responses under the coupled static-dynamic loadings were then simulated using a constitutive framework that was proven valid in this study for broad spectrums of pressures and strain rates. Image processing of the breakage patterns shows that the crushed zone contracts as the rock pressure rises. The crushed zone becomes elliptic in anisotropic stress fields, and its major axis coincides with the major principal stress (σ1) direction and declines more slowly than the minor axis aligned with σ3. The orientation distribution shows quantitatively that fractures get increasingly more clustered around σ1 as stress anisotropy rises, and the fracture density decreases more rapidly in equibiaxial conditions with greater vertical stresses. The consistent insights of the analytical and numerical studies can improve the mechanistic understanding of the evolution of dynamic rock behavior in different in-situ stress conditions.

A closed-form solution to spherical wave propagation in triaxial stress fields

Cost-effective exploration and exploitation activities hinge upon the production of optimum fracture networks via rock blasting. The concurrent increases in lithostatic pressure and temperature have posed significant challenges to mining at deeper formations within the Earth’s crust. To better understand the influences of in-situ stresses on rock blasting efficiency, a new closed-form elastodynamic solution to stress wave propagation from a spherical cavity in a general triaxial stress field is proposed. By transforming the solutions from the time domain to the space of stress invariants, novel insights into the intricate effects of in-situ stresses on dynamic rock behavior are obtained. This paper demonstrates that the different responses of radial and circumferential stresses to static and dynamic loadings draw the initial stress states closer to the yield envelope and thus divert the loading paths during ensuing dynamic impacts. The resulting changes in the patterns of stress trajectories hence cause various mechanisms of dynamic rock yielding in triaxial stress fields under different loading amplitudes. Based on spherical charges rather than the more typical cylindrical ones, our results show quantitatively that in-situ stresses can impair blast fragmentation by promoting dynamic compaction and delaying or even inhibiting tensile fracturing. While dynamic yielding becomes complex in anisotropic stress fields, the major principal stress (σ1) direction tends to be associated with better fragmentation efficiency for the same mode of yielding and radial cracks also propagate preferentially along σ1. Moreover, rational design of loading intensity can enhance rock fragmentation efficiency by promoting brittle yielding in certain in-situ stress conditions.