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The development history and current state of studies on the characteristics and mechanisms of deformation and failure of rock materials were briefly reviewed from the viewpoint of energy. The main scope and the achievable objectives of the energy-based research system were expatiated. It was validated by experiments that the damage process of rocks can be well described by the rock damage evolution equation established based on energy dissipation. It was found from the uniaxial compression and biaxial compression tests that only a small proportion of the total input energy in hard rocks is dissipated before peak load and a large proportion in soft rocks is dissipated before peak load. For both hard and soft rocks, the energy dissipated after peak load accounts for a greater proportion. More energy would be required for rock failure under equal biaxial compression than under unequal biaxial compression. The total absorbed energy is different for rock failure under high-rate loading and low-rate loading. More fragmented failure pattern usually corresponds to higher energy absorption. The mesoscopic analysis on the damage and failure of bedded salt rocks showed that the energy dissipation is prominent and the total absorbed energy for rock failure is low when cracks propagate in the weak mud interlayer while it is contrary when cracks propagate in the salt rock. The energy accumulation, transfer, dissipation and release during the failure process of tunnel with impending failure under disturbance were analyzed theoretically based on the elastoplastic mechanics theory. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of energy dissipation and energy release of fractured rocks under unloading was simulated numerically. It was demonstrated that energy is likely to be released from the weakest surface under compression, which triggers the global failure of rocks.rock, deformation, failure, energy accumulation, energy dissipation, energy release Citation:Xie H P, Li L Y, Ju Y, et al. Energy analysis for damage and catastrophic failure of rocks.

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The characterization of pore structure in rocks is relevant in determining their various mechanical behaviors. Digital image processing methods integrated with fractal theory were applied to analyze images of rock slices obtained from industry CT, elucidating the characteristics of rock pore structure and the relationship between porosity and fractal dimensions. The gray values of pixels in CT images of rocks provide comprehensive results with respect to the attenuation coefficients of various materials in corresponding rock elements, and these values also reflect the effect of rock porosity at various scales. A segmentation threshold can be determined by inverse analysis based on the pore ratios that are measured experimentally, and subsequently binary images of rock pores can be obtained to study their topological structures. The fractal dimension of rock pore structure increases with an increase in rock pore ratio, and fractal dimensions might differ even if pore ratios are the same. The more complex the structure of a rock, the larger the fractal dimension becomes. The experimental studies have validated that fractal dimension calculated directly from gray CT images of rocks can give an effective complementary parameter to use alongside pore ratios and they can suitably represent the fractal characteristics of rock pores. As complex geological materials, rocks have discontinuous, non-homogeneous, multi-phase composite structures. Many irregular pores occur at different scales that affect the physical, mechanical and chemical properties of rock materials; such as strength, elastic modulus, permeability, conductivity, wave velocity, particle surface adsorption, and the capacity of a rock reservoir. A significant problem in petroleum exploration, mining, metallurgy, civil and hydraulic engineering is how to understand and quantitatively characterize the evolution of pore structures in rock materials. Thus far, more than 30 kinds of parameters have been proposed to describe rock pore structures [1,2]; these include density or volume fraction of pores (poreratio), pore size and its distribution, and specific surface area. These parameters mainly characterize the average pore structure from a macroscopic view. Pore ratio is the most readily available basic parameter, the effect of which is far greater than all the other factors; therefore, studies related to pore ratios are the most common. Determining pore ratios involves use of microscopic image analysis, weighing method, immersion method and mercury, which have been discussed in detail elsewhere [1,3]. Because pore structures in rocks are very complex [4][5][6], advanced measurement techniques have gradually been introduced to describe pore structures at different scales [7]. Pore morphology and microstructure in rocks can be observed and analyzed over different magnifications using optical or scanning electron microscopy. X-ray fluoroscopy methods also have been adopted to observe internal rock structures. A more effective method is Computerized Tomography (CT...

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The geometric features and the distribution properties of pores in rocks were investigated by means of CT scanning tests of sandstones. The centroidal coordinates of pores, the statistic characterristics of pore distance, quantity, size and their probability density functions were formulated in this paper. The Monte Carlo method and the random number generating algorithm were employed to generate two series of random numbers with the desired statistic characteristics and probability density functions upon which the random distribution of pore position, distance and quantity were determined. A three-dimensional porous structural model of sandstone was constructed based on the FLAC 3D program and the information of the pore position and distribution that the series of random numbers defined. On the basis of modelling, the Brazil split tests of rock discs were carried out to examine the stress distribution, the pattern of element failure and the inosculation of failed elements. The simulation indicated that the proposed model was consistent with the realistic porous structure of rock in terms of their statistic properties of pores and geometric similarity. The built-up model disclosed the influence of pores on the stress distribution, failure mode of material elements and the inosculation of failed elements.porous structure, statistical model, random numbers, reconstruction, rocks

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