Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• Confining pressure profoundly alters rock fracture patterns, shifting from axial splitting to shear band formation as confinement increases. • The coupled FDEM approach effectively captures the transition in failure modes and the associated acoustic emission signatures. • Energy dissipation analysis reveals that shear-dominated failure consumes more energy than tensile splitting, correlating with higher confining pressures. • The numerical results align with experimental observations, validating the model's capability to simulate realistic rock fracture behavior under triaxial conditions.
Abstract
This paper presents a numerical investigation into the fracture behavior of rock under triaxial compression using a coupled finite-discrete element method (FDEM). The study focuses on the influence of confining pressure on crack initiation, propagation, and coalescence, as well as the resulting failure modes. A series of numerical simulations were conducted on a granite specimen under varying confining pressures. The results reveal that confining pressure significantly affects the fracture patterns, transitioning from axial splitting at low confinement to shear-dominated failure at high confinement. The evolution of acoustic emission (AE) events and energy dissipation is analyzed to characterize the damage process. The findings provide insights into the micromechanics of rock failure and have implications for underground engineering applications such as deep mining and tunneling.
1. Introduction
Understanding the fracture behavior of rock under triaxial compression is fundamental to many geomechanical applications, including deep mining, tunneling, and nuclear waste disposal. The failure process involves complex mechanisms such as crack initiation, propagation, and coalescence, which are influenced by the stress state, material heterogeneity, and existing discontinuities. Experimental studies have provided valuable insights, but they are often limited by specimen size, loading conditions, and the difficulty of observing internal damage in real-time.
Numerical methods, particularly the combined finite-discrete element method (FDEM), offer a powerful alternative to study rock fracture in detail. FDEM can simulate the transition from continuum to discontinuum behavior, capturing both the deformation of intact rock and the initiation and propagation of fractures. This paper employs FDEM to investigate the effect of confining pressure on the fracture behavior of granite, with a focus on crack patterns, acoustic emission, and energy evolution. The results contribute to a better understanding of rock failure mechanisms and provide a basis for predicting rock mass behavior under various stress conditions.
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Y. Zhang, L. Wang, H. Li, J. Chen (2026). Fracture Behavior of Rock under Triaxial Compression: A Numerical Study. Chinese Journal of New Drugs. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-025-04012-3
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main objective of this study?
The main objective is to numerically investigate the fracture behavior of rock under triaxial compression, focusing on the influence of confining pressure on crack initiation, propagation, and failure modes using the finite-discrete element method (FDEM).
How does confining pressure affect rock failure patterns?
The study shows that as confining pressure increases, the failure mode transitions from axial splitting (tensile-dominated) at low confinement to shear band formation (shear-dominated) at high confinement, significantly altering the fracture network and energy dissipation.
What numerical method was used and why?
The coupled finite-discrete element method (FDEM) was used because it can simulate the entire fracture process from continuum to discontinuum, capturing both elastic deformation and crack development, which is essential for realistic rock fracture analysis.
What are the practical implications of this research?
The findings help in predicting rock mass behavior under different stress conditions, which is crucial for designing safe and efficient underground structures such as mines, tunnels, and nuclear waste repositories, especially at great depths where high confining pressures are encountered.
How were the numerical results validated?
The numerical results were compared with experimental observations from triaxial compression tests on granite, showing good agreement in terms of failure modes and stress-strain responses, thereby validating the FDEM model's capability.
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