ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT: The progressive shear failure development and evolution in brittle to brittle-ductile rock masses behavior is characterized by non-linear, inhomogeneous stress and strain distributions through the media in which various fracture modes intervene in sequence during simple shear displacement. The progressive failure of zones under simple shear deformation is progressive in at least two ways and is influenced by the normal stress magnitude and dilatancy. The progressive failure extends to all scales and is responsible for a marked shear strength scale effect. This paper demonstrates how the rotational and non-coaxial strain characterizing zones submitted to simple shear deformation influence the sequential development and evolution of tension and shear fractures under mode I and n of fracture propagation and their subsequent behavior with shear displacement. The behavioral complexity of a such zone during progressive failure is rather difficult to model, because shear displacement measurements integrate all kinds of variables and phenomena into one single parameter. Stability of workings in rock masses may demonstrate problems if such modes of deformation and failure are induced in the rock media.

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