Application of the Slope Coefficient of the Equivalent M–C Criterion in Layered Rock Mass Engineering

Abstract

The slope coefficient ω is defined based on the insufficiency of the area equivalent method, the slope of the equivalent M–C criterion obtained from the instantaneous equivalent, and the optimal first-order approximation to reduce the error between the simulated value and the measured value of the surrounding rock and ensure the safety of the project. Different ω conditions are set to obtain multiple equivalent M–C strength parameter combinations. The above combinations are input to the ubiquitous joint model of FLAC3D, and the surrounding rock strength of layered tunnels with different inclination angles (0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90°) is corrected. The results show that (1) after the tunnel excavation is completed, the displacement of key points (e.g., the vault and waist) increases when the slope coefficient is increased and the deviator stress decreases when the slope coefficient is increased. (2) After the area equivalent method is revised, the displacement and the deviator stress are more significantly affected by the inclination of the rock strata than the uncorrected ones, suggesting that the equivalent area can more effectively highlight the anisotropy characteristics of the layered surrounding rock. (3) After the simulation results of the displacement and the deviator stress at the respective key point are comprehensively modified, the optimal slope coefficient corresponding to each rock layer inclination is obtained, and the area is optimized by ensuring reasonableness to reduce the error between the simulated value and the measured value. (4) The layered surrounding rock at a dip angle of 30° is studied. The development of the plastic zone is promoted when the slope coefficient is increased, and the rock shear failure and the joint shear failure occur simultaneously on both sides of its axis.

Assessing stability of mine workings driven in stratified rock mass

“…Hoek-Brown proposed that the anisotropic rock strength parameters vary depending on the load direction. When studying the anisotropic rock strength, it has been revealed that the Hoek-Brown criterion parameters quantify the anisotropic effect [26]- [28].…”