Zonal disintegration phenomenon in enclosing rock mass surrounding deep tunnels — mechanism and discussion of characteristic parameters

The mechanism of the zonal disintegration phenomenon (ZDP) was realized based on the analysis of the stressed-strained state of the rock mass in the vicinity of the maximum stress zone, which resides in the creep instability failure of rock mass due to the development of a plastic zone and transfer of the maximum stress zone within the rock mass. Some characteristic parameters of the ZDP are discussed theoretically. In first instance, the analytical critical depth condition for the occurrence of ZDP was obtained, which depends on the characteristics and stress concentration coefficient of the rock mass. Secondly, based on creep theory, the expression of the outer radius of the undisturbed zones in the deep rock mass was obtained with the use of an improved Burgers rheological model, which indicated that the radius depends on the characteristics of the rock mass and the depth of excavation and increases quasi-linearly with the rise of creep compliance of the rock mass. Finally, the formula for the distance of the most remote fissured zone away from the working periphery was derived, which increases logarithmically with the increase in the ratio of the in-situ stress and ultimate strength of rock mass. The distances between fissured zones are discussed in qualitative terms.