Mechanical response and failure behavior of granite under confining pressure and strain rate

Abstract

Understanding the dynamic behavior of rocks under confining conditions is essential for elucidating the failure mechanisms of deep rock masses. In this study, triaxial compression tests on granite were conducted at intermediate strain rates to systematically investigate the effects of confining pressure and strain rate on rock strength and deformation behavior. The roles of these factors in energy dissipation and damage evolution were clarified, and a stage-dependent damage constitutive model based on dissipated energy was established. The results show that both confining pressure and strain rate significantly enhance rock strength and deformation resistance, with confining pressure playing a more dominant role. The proportion of dissipated energy exhibits an overall trend of initial decrease followed by subsequent increase, corresponding to the transition from crack compaction and closure to crack development and propagation. A two-stage damage model incorporating initial damage recovery is proposed and demonstrates improved predictive capability compared with conventional models. Confining pressure suppresses damage development, whereas strain rate promotes it. In addition, higher confining pressure and strain rate increase the occurrence of transgranular cracking, revealing the mechanisms underlying enhanced energy dissipation and smoother fracture surfaces.

Keywords

Dynamic triaxial compression / Energy dissipation / Constitutive model / Failure characteristics

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