Rock burst of deep circular tunnels surrounded by weakened rock mass with cracks

Rock masses containing pre-existing cracks are considered as non-homogeneous geomaterials. During excavation of tunnels, pre-existing cracks may nucleate, grow and propagate through rock matrix, then secondary cracks may appear. The stress concentration at the tips of secondary cracks is comparatively large, which may lead to the unstable growth and coalescence of secondary cracks, and consequently the occurrence of fractured zones. For brittle rocks, the dissipative energy of slip and growth of pre-existing cracks and secondary crack growth is small, but the elastic strain energy storing in rock masses may be larger than the dissipative energy of slip and growth of pre-existing macrocracks and secondary crack growth. The sudden release of the residual elastic strain energy may lead to rock burst in crack-weakened rock masses. Based on this understanding, the criteria of rock burst in crack-weakened rock masses are established. The influences of the in situ stresses, micromechanical parameters and physico-mechanical parameters on the distribution of rock burst zones and area of rock burst zones are investigated in detail.