Reinforcement of rock mass with cross-flaws using rock bolt

• Studied the mechanism of rock bolt reinforcement of rock mass with cross-flaws.
• Compared bolt reinforcement for rock masses with single flaw and with cross-flaws.
• Explained observed high strength of reinforced rock mass with cross-flaws.
• Explained strength dependence of reinforced rock mass on flaw orientations.

Rock bolting is one of the most effective and economical means of rock mass reinforcement. Existing studies of rock bolt reinforcement are mostly focused on rock masses without flaw, with a single flaw, or with parallel flaws. However in rock masses, cracks or flaws usually exist in the form of cross-flaws. In order to understand the impact of cross-flaws on rock bolt reinforcement and to further explore the differences of bolt reinforcement between rock mass with cross-flaws and rock mass with a single flaw, reinforced analog specimens with cross-flaws and with a single flaw were tested under uniaxial compressive condition. The experimental results show that the uniaxial compressive strength of the reinforced rock mass with cross-flaws in this research is higher than that of reinforced rock mass with a single flaw. This observation can be explained by the difference in the failure modes of reinforced specimens: the reinforced rock masses with a single flaw fail due to the formation of a shear crack while reinforced rock masses with cross-flaws fail as a result of a tensile fracture or interaction between tensile fracture and shear fracture.

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