Phase field modelling of the hydro-mechanical coupling failure mechanisms of fissured rock masses

Exploring the mechanical response and damage mechanism of fractured rocks under hydro-mechanical coupling is a key approach to address the safety and stability problems of rock engineering under hydro-mechanical coupling conditions. Based on Biot theory and pore elasticity theory, a numerical simula...

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Main Authors: Miaomiao Kou, Chenxi Li, Yan Wang, Fei Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Earth Science
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1655762/full
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author Miaomiao Kou
Miaomiao Kou
Chenxi Li
Yan Wang
Yan Wang
Fei Liu
Fei Liu
author_facet Miaomiao Kou
Miaomiao Kou
Chenxi Li
Yan Wang
Yan Wang
Fei Liu
Fei Liu
author_sort Miaomiao Kou
collection DOAJ
description Exploring the mechanical response and damage mechanism of fractured rocks under hydro-mechanical coupling is a key approach to address the safety and stability problems of rock engineering under hydro-mechanical coupling conditions. Based on Biot theory and pore elasticity theory, a numerical simulation method of hydro-mechanical coupled phase field is developed, and a staggered time integration scheme is proposed to obtain stable solutions of fluid pressure and solid deformation, in which the obtained control equations adopt the volume strain separation and partial strain separation of the elasticity theory of fully saturated porous media. Two different numerical examples of fluid permeability tests and hydraulic fracturing with natural fracture interaction are used for validation. During the comparison of the numerical model with the analytical solution, the numerical results and the previous data are in better agreement, which verifies the validity and correctness of the model method. In addition, in order to investigate the unloading damage mechanism in the actual engineering excavation process, a hydro-mechanical coupled unloading damage model was established by combining numerical examples of borehole injection tests to simulate the whole process of fracture rock propagation damage under the dual conditions of hydro-mechanical coupling and surrounding pressure unloading. The study shows that fluid infiltration and hydraulic fracture crack expansion are mainly controlled by tensioning action, while mixed tensile-shear crack expansion and connection dominate the final damage mode during coupled hydro-mechanical unloading damage.
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publishDate 2025-08-01
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spelling doaj-art-5d6e7f18d2c8419a891bd427ec8212c82025-08-20T03:46:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632025-08-011310.3389/feart.2025.16557621655762Phase field modelling of the hydro-mechanical coupling failure mechanisms of fissured rock massesMiaomiao Kou0Miaomiao Kou1Chenxi Li2Yan Wang3Yan Wang4Fei Liu5Fei Liu6State Key Laboratory of Water Resource Protection and Utilization in Coal Mining, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao, Shandong, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao, Shandong, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Water Resource Protection and Utilization in Coal Mining, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao, Shandong, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Water Resource Protection and Utilization in Coal Mining, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao, Shandong, ChinaExploring the mechanical response and damage mechanism of fractured rocks under hydro-mechanical coupling is a key approach to address the safety and stability problems of rock engineering under hydro-mechanical coupling conditions. Based on Biot theory and pore elasticity theory, a numerical simulation method of hydro-mechanical coupled phase field is developed, and a staggered time integration scheme is proposed to obtain stable solutions of fluid pressure and solid deformation, in which the obtained control equations adopt the volume strain separation and partial strain separation of the elasticity theory of fully saturated porous media. Two different numerical examples of fluid permeability tests and hydraulic fracturing with natural fracture interaction are used for validation. During the comparison of the numerical model with the analytical solution, the numerical results and the previous data are in better agreement, which verifies the validity and correctness of the model method. In addition, in order to investigate the unloading damage mechanism in the actual engineering excavation process, a hydro-mechanical coupled unloading damage model was established by combining numerical examples of borehole injection tests to simulate the whole process of fracture rock propagation damage under the dual conditions of hydro-mechanical coupling and surrounding pressure unloading. The study shows that fluid infiltration and hydraulic fracture crack expansion are mainly controlled by tensioning action, while mixed tensile-shear crack expansion and connection dominate the final damage mode during coupled hydro-mechanical unloading damage.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1655762/fullfissure rock masseshydro-mechanical coupling processunloading failure mechanismsphase-field approachnumerical simulations
spellingShingle Miaomiao Kou
Miaomiao Kou
Chenxi Li
Yan Wang
Yan Wang
Fei Liu
Fei Liu
Phase field modelling of the hydro-mechanical coupling failure mechanisms of fissured rock masses
Frontiers in Earth Science
fissure rock masses
hydro-mechanical coupling process
unloading failure mechanisms
phase-field approach
numerical simulations
title Phase field modelling of the hydro-mechanical coupling failure mechanisms of fissured rock masses
title_full Phase field modelling of the hydro-mechanical coupling failure mechanisms of fissured rock masses
title_fullStr Phase field modelling of the hydro-mechanical coupling failure mechanisms of fissured rock masses
title_full_unstemmed Phase field modelling of the hydro-mechanical coupling failure mechanisms of fissured rock masses
title_short Phase field modelling of the hydro-mechanical coupling failure mechanisms of fissured rock masses
title_sort phase field modelling of the hydro mechanical coupling failure mechanisms of fissured rock masses
topic fissure rock masses
hydro-mechanical coupling process
unloading failure mechanisms
phase-field approach
numerical simulations
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1655762/full
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