Interaction mechanism of the interface between a deep buried sand and a paleo-weathered rock mass using a high normal stress direct shear apparatus

In order to evaluate the feasibility of safe mining close to the contact zone under reduced security coal pillar conditions at a coal mine in eastern China, the interaction mechanism of the interface between deep buried sand and a paleo-weathered rock mass was investigated in the laboratory by direct shear testing. A DRS-1 high pressure soil shear testing machine and orthogonal design method were used in the direct shear tests. Variance and range methods were applied to analyze the sensitivity of each factor that has an influence on the mechanical characters of the interface. The test results show that the normal pressure is the main influencing factor for mechanical characteristics of the interface, while the lithological characters and roughness are minor factors; the shear stress against shear displacement curve for the interface shows an overall hyperbola relationship, no obvious peak stress and dilatancy was observed. When the normal pressure is 6 MPa, the shear strengths of interfaces with different roughness are basically the same, and when the normal pressure is more than 8 MPa, the larger the roughness of the interface, the larger will be the shear strength; the shear strength has a better linear relationship with the normal pressure, which can be described by a linear Mohr–Coulomb criterion.