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Abstract The traditional tunnel drilling and blasting method places cut holes at the lower center of the excavation face, resulting in an excessive number of blasting holes. With the continuous increase in cross-section area, this design concept can no longer meet the requirements of safe and efficient tunnel boring for large cross-section tunnels. This paper puts forward the theory and method of reduced-hole blasting for large cross-section tunnels, as an alternative to the traditional drilling and blasting method of the “more holes, less charge” design concept. Based on the explosion energy dissipation law and rock’s critical crushing energy dissipation characteristics, the calculation method of the extrapolation distance of the wedge-cut holes is given. The optimum extrapolation distance of the wedge-cut holes was verified using numerical simulation and field tests. The results show that the number of drilling holes can be reduced by about 15.8% using the theory and method proposed in this paper, and at the same time, the damage of retained rock can be effectively controlled. The results of this study can provide a reference for the design of blast network parameters for similar large cross-section tunnels.

Abstract In this study, a new type of multi-arch tunnel construction method is proposed. This effort is undertaken due to the many disadvantages of the traditional multi-arch tunnel construction method. Furthermore, this method omits the construction of a middle pilot tunnel, and it has the advantages of safety, high efficiency, and being economical. When using the method of continuous arch tunneling without a middle pilot tunnel, the blasting of the first tunnel and the following tunnel has a greater impact on the surrounding rock damage, as well as on the supporting structure of the same cross-section. Therefore, this study uses LS-DYNA finite element software to construct a three-dimensional numerical model. In addition, the perimeter rock damage law and mechanical response characteristics of the supporting structure in the same cross-section of the first tunnel, as well as the following tunnel after blasting without a middle pilot tunnel, are analyzed. At the same time, the results of the study are based on optimizing the blasting program, and these are then applied to the field. Through the results, it is found that, after blasting a continuous arch tunnel without a medial pilot tunnel, the surrounding rock damage in the arch cross-region of the double-arch tunnel (where the arch top and the arch shoulder are more significant) and the effective stress of the supporting structure exceed the strength design value. In addition, the maximum adequate pressure is distributed in the medial diaphragm wall. With the optimized blasting scheme, the range of the peripheral rock damage is reduced by a maximum of 67%, and the effective stress in the supporting structure is reduced by 25.9–64.8%. The research results are of great significance in terms of improving construction safety, economic efficiency, and project quality, as well as in promoting the research and development of new work methods for double-arch tunnels.

Abstract Based on the macroscopic structure control theory, The slate with a significant bedding plane is a composite rock mass composed of rock blocks containing microscopic defects, joint surface closure elements, and shear deformation elements. Considering the coupling damage effect of water erosion and triaxial compressive load on bedding structure plane, the transversely isotropic damage constitutive model of slate under triaxial compressive load is derived with the dip angle of bedding and confining pressure as the variable. Firstly, based on the statistical theory of continuous damage mechanics and the maximum tensile strain criterion, the transversely isotropic deformation constitutive model of rock block with micro-defects is given; Secondly, based on the phenomenological theory of closed deformation and shear-slip deformation mechanism of layered structural plane under the coupling action of water erosion and triaxial compression load, the calculation formula of axial deformation of layered structural plane under the coupling action is given; Finally, to verify the accuracy of the established constitutive model, triaxial compression tests are carried out to study the influence of dip angle and confining pressure on the macroscopic mechanical properties and mechanism of slate. The results show that: the established triaxial compression damage constitutive model of bedding slate can accurately describe the stress–strain relationship of bedding slate after water environment erosion. With the increase of bedding dip angle, the strength and deformation capacity of the bedding slate first decreases and then increases, showing a U-shaped distribution as a whole. There are three main types of failure: tension shear composite failure, shear slip failure, and splitting tension failure.

Abstract In the process of drilling and blasting construction of large-cross-section tunnels, the layout of wedge-shaped cutting holes has a great influence on the effect of blasting. In this study, theoretical analysis and numerical simulation were used to assess the effect of different forms of cutting hole placement on blasting effectiveness. First, the fissure-inducing angle was proposed, a three-dimensional model of wedge-shaped cutting considering the effect of shear-tensile resistance was established, and theoretical analyses of cutting holes with different cutting angles and fissure-inducing angles were carried out. Second, the parameters of the Riedel–Hiermaier–Thoma model were determined based on the experimental data, and verified. Third, three-dimensional numerical models were established, and analyze the influence of different forms of hole deployment on the blasting effect from the perspective of stress wave propagation and dynamic damage to the surrounding rock. Finally, based on the theoretical analysis and numerical simulation results, the wedge-shaped hollowing holes were re-designed, and 20 tunnel blasting tests were carried out using this deployment method for large-section tunnel blasting, which verified the feasibility of this deployment method. The results of the study show that for level III surrounding rock, the angle of wedge-shaped cutting holes should meet 68° ≤ θ ≤ 70° and 70° ≤ β ≤ 72°. This study provides a kind of refined and efficient blasting for the drilling and blasting excavation process of large section tunnels.

Abstract In the course of underground engineering, layered slate is often encountered. Understanding the mechanical characteristics of layered slate is a prerequisite for engineering construction and disaster prevention and mitigation. As a result, at the beginning of a project, a large number of indoor tests are required, which are time-consuming and laborious. In addition, the natural joint angle of the layered slate is random, so it is extremely difficult to establish a database of the mechanical characteristics of layered slate. Hence, it is necessary to find a simple, feasible, and high-precision method to determine the Holmquist–Johnson–Cook (HJC) constitutive model parameters for naturally jointed layered slate with different dip angles. This study first determines the HJC constitutive model parameters of layered slate with five specific joint dip angles (0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90°) through static tests and the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) test. Furthermore, by employing sensitivity analysis methods, the influence of key parameters of the HJC constitutive model on the dynamic peak stress of slate is determined. Among them, parameters A and B have the most significant impact on stress, exceeding 50%. Thirdly, a nonlinear fitting regression method is used to determine the HJC constitutive model parameters of naturally jointed angular slate. The relationship between the HJC model parameters and the inclination angle of slate joints is derived, and the accuracy of these parameters is verified through numerical simulation methods. The error between the numerical simulation and indoor experiments is within 10%, indicating a high level of simulation accuracy. The research findings provide a highly precise numerical simulation method for similar projects.

Abstract In situ stress and joints have a significant impact on the propagation and attenuation pattern of blast stress waves, and they are two important factors that must be considered for tunnel blasting hole network deployment. This paper proposes a blast stress wave attenuation equation and a peripheral hole distance calculation method under the combined action of in situ stress and joints. First, the static and dynamic parameters of the jointed slate are obtained by drilling core samples in the field and conducting indoor tests. Next, considering the geometric and physical attenuation of the blast stress wave, the attenuation formula of the blast stress wave under the combined action of in situ stress and joints is derived. Based on the theory of the combined action of stress waves and explosive gas, a formula for calculating the peripheral hole distance that integrates the effects of in situ stress, joints, and tensile strength of the rock body is proposed. Finally, LS-PREPOST software is used to analyze the damage to the surrounding rock, verified by an on-site blasting test. The results show that the blast stress wave attenuation formula proposed in this paper can accurately predict the stress wave peak value under the combined action of in situ stress and joints. Combining the geological conditions and blasting parameters of the Bayueshan Tunnel study section, the optimal peripheral hole spacing is calculated to be 45 cm. The average over-excavation value of the grade IV surrounding rock is controlled within 22 cm and the over-consumption of concrete per linear meter is controlled within 100% using the peripheral hole layout method and the hole network layout parameters proposed in this paper. The research results provide a reference for the control of over-excavation and under-excavation in large-section tunnel blasting.

The traditional tunnel-drilling and blasting parameter design is based on the small-section roadway and involves many boreholes and conditions that require slow operation progress and thus cannot meet the rapid operation requirements of a large-span tunnel. Taking the Baizhushan Tunnel as the engineering background, this article put forward a theoretical basis for a hole-reducing layout method for large-section tunnel blasting. These parameters of the rock statics and dynamics were obtained through core-drilling sampling in the field and the development of static and dynamic tests. LS-DYNA software was used to establish the numerical model of large-span tunnel blasting. The method was verified through three aspects, namely, cavity effect, effective stress, and surrounding rock damage and was implemented in the field application. The results showed the following: the scheme for reducing-hole numbers used 26 fewer blast holes per cycle footage and saved 0.7 h of drilling time; the average effective stress of the retained rock was 0.6 times that of the original blasting scheme, which reduced the damage to the remaining rock; the maximum over-excavation thickness control was within 50 cm, which reduced over-break; in the field test, the utilization rate of cutting holes was 81.9%, the utilization rate of other blasting holes was 91.2%, the unit consumption of explosives was 0.72 kg/m3, the average over-excavation thickness control was within 20 cm, and the smooth blasting effect was superior.

In this study, cement mortar was used to make specimens containing groups of parallel joints with different inclination angles to simulate natural rock mass, and the specimens were subjected to shear tests under different normal stresses. By analyzing the crack propagation path, failure modes, and strength characteristics of these rock specimens, the effects of normal stress and joint inclination angles on the strength and failure characteristics of this type of rock mass were studied. The following conclusions are drawn: 1) when the inclination angles of the joints are 0° and 15°, the changing of the normal stress did not affect the failure mode of the rock mass. The rock mass was mainly in the mode of shear failure, and the increase in the normal stress only increased the spalling area of the rock mass. 2) When the inclination angles of the joints are 30°, 45°, and 60°, with the increasing of the normal stress, the number of those approximately parallel cracks in the specimens increased, the friction marks caused by shearing increased, and the failure mode of the rock mass changed from tension failure to tension–shear composite failure. 3) Under different joint inclination angles, the propagation and penetration paths of cracks generated in the rock mass and the damage mode of the rock mass were different. With an increase in the joint inclination angles, the damage mode of the rock mass gradually changes from shear damage to tensile–shear composite damage and the α and β angles between the through cracks and the vertical direction on the left and right sides of the specimens tended to decrease. 4) The shear resistance of the rock mass was affected by the inclination angle of the joints and the normal pressure. The shear resistance of rock mass was improved due to the increasing of normal stress. Within a certain range, with the increasing of the inclination angles of the joint, the shear resistance of the rock mass tended to decrease first and then to increase.

AbstractWhen the Holmquist-Johnson-Cook (HJC) constitutive model is used to simulate limestone under the impact load, problems of a compaction stage not being characterised and low dynamic peak stress prediction accuracy are observed. The numerical simulation and experimental results were inconsistent. In this study, we proposed a modified HJC constitutive model and parameter determination method. Based on the characteristics of the dynamic stress-strain curve of limestone and relationship between axial and volumetric strains, the linear elastic phase of the state equation of the original HJC constitutive model was modified, and a new state equation was proposed. The yield surface of the original HJC constitutive model was modified on the basis of the sensitivity analysis method and limit surface theory, and a method for determining the parameters of the modified HJC constitutive model of limestone was proposed. The modified model and parameter determination method were experimentally verified using the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) and a high-speed camera. The results showed that the state equation curve of limestone under the impact load was divided into compaction, linear elastic, and fully compacted stages. After the introduction of the pressure parameters M, P, and Q, the nonlinear change in the stress-strain curve during the compaction stage was highly consistent with the SHPB results. The strength parameters fc, A, B, and N exhibited the maximum impact on the dynamic strength of limestone. After the strength parameters A, B, and N were modified for the yield surface, the prediction accuracy of limestone dynamic peak stress was over 97%, the prediction error rate decreased by more than 10%, and the reliability of numerical simulation results improved. These results can provide a simple and feasible numerical simulation method for the dynamic analysis of rock materials.

AbstractTo study the influence of drilling and blasting on the deformation of the tunnel lining in a multimedium surrounding rock section, this paper constructs the deformation calculation theory of the explosion stress wave of the tunnel lining. We select single-medium surrounding rock, multimedium surrounding rock, different explosion accelerations, and different surrounding rock grades as research variables and analyse in depth the causes of the deformation response of the tunnel lining. It is found that the stress wave causes more damage to the surrounding rock closer to the explosion point, and the disturbance to the surrounding rock increases with the increase of the acceleration of the explosion stress wave. And the better the surrounding rock grade, the more obvious the creep effect formed by the explosion stress wave, and the more damaging the stress wave propagation is to the tunnel lining. After the stress wave propagation medium changes from soft to hard, the energy will produce a “nest effect” at the interface between the two media, and the energy will accumulate briefly at the interface. When a certain amount of energy has accumulated, it propagates into the hard medium in an excited state, which causes large vibration of the tunnel lining in the soft medium area. The stress wave propagation medium changes from hard to soft, and the excessive energy in the hard medium produces huge vibration only at the junction of the hard–soft media, and there is no “nest effect.”

To explore the dynamic mechanical properties and damage evolution law of the more common layered rock masses in geotechnical engineering, this paper determined the Holmquist–Johnson–Cook (HJC) constitutive model parameters of dolomite, gray sandstone, and limestone according to the static mechanical parameters of the rock mass. We used Hypermesh/ANSYS software to establish the numerical analysis model, carried out the dynamic impact numerical simulation of the layered rock mass, and analyzed the stress wave propagation characteristics, dynamic stress–strain relationship, energy dissipation, and damage evolution laws of layered rock masses under different combinations. At the same time, this paper analyzed the stress characteristics of the layered rock mass and studied its failure characteristics. The research results show that the wave impedance matching relationship alters the dynamic characteristics of the layered rock mass; however, with the increase in impact velocity, the difference gradually weakens. The difference in elastic modulus leads to different initial failure modes of layered rock masses, and the quality of the wave impedance matching relationship leads to differences in the law of damage evolution of layered rock masses. Under different combination forms, the failure degree and failure modes of the two parts of the layered rock mass are different.

Direct shear tests were carried out on nonthrough jointed rock masses (NTJRM) with three types of joints under five normal stresses. The strength characteristics of shear strength, initial crack strength, and residual strength and the deformation characteristics of tangential displacement and dilatancy displacement as well as the transformation of failure mode and the variation of shear parameters of rock mass with different joint morphology are studied. Under the same normal stress, with the increase of joint undulation, the shear strength of NTJRM increases, and the corresponding tangential displacement of NTJRM increases. Two typical failure modes are observed: TTTS mode and TSSS mode. TTTS model indicates that the initial failure, extension failure, and final failure of rock mass are caused by tensile action, while the failure mode of through plane is formed by shear action. The initial failure of TSSS mode rock mass is caused by tensile action, while the expansion and final failure are caused by shear action, and the failure mode of through plane is formed under shear action. When the joint undulation is small and the normal stress is small, NTJRM will fail in TTTS mode; when the joint undulation is large and the normal stress is large, NTJRM will fail in TSSS mode. The results show that the shear parameters of NTJRM are related to the joint morphology, the bond force increases with the increase of joint undulation, and the internal friction angle increases with the increase of joint undulation. The research results of direct shear test of nonthrough jointed rock mass can provide reference for related research.