A viscoelastic–plastic constitutive model incorporating creep initiation stress for surrounding rock in deep roadways and its practical application

Abstract With the increasing depth of engineering in rock masses, the issue of significant rheological deformation becomes notably prominent. To accurately characterize the deformation and failure behavior of the surrounding rock near the goaf in deep small coal pillars, we have developed a viscoelastic–plastic constitutive model that takes into account the initial stress associated with creep. This model builds upon an existing viscoelastic–plastic constitutive framework and is implemented numerically using C++ in the FLAC3D. The Oedometer test method is used to check the creep components and the calculated parameter (η/G) ensure convergence of numerical operations. We conducted both pre‐improvement and post‐improvement tests of the constitutive model in a simple numerical analysis of roadways. The enhanced model demonstrates improved accuracy in deviational stress calculations and proves suitable for modeling deep, soft roadways. Furthermore, we applied the improved model to simulate actual working conditions at Zhaozhuang Mine, where mining operations near the working face induce a fracture zone of approximately 3 m in the small coal pillar located at the goaf's edge. The new model closely aligns with the observed results, further validating its suitability for tunneling along the goaf. Tunneling and mining activities result in significant deformation at various locations, including the shoulder socket of the working face, the top angle of the coal pillar, and the bottom angle of the floor. The crushing zone at the working face extends up to 4 m. Rheological effects transform the triangular elastic core, from its original high‐pressure elastic state to a fracture and plastic zone in the deep coal. Stress in deep coal is transmitted along the triangular elastic core. Numerical simulation results closely match the excavation profile of the tunneling, providing valuable insights into the impact of mining activities. This study can provide reference for deformation of similar geological conditions and engineering situation.