Jointed limestone damage evolution under wet-dry cycles and cyclic shear based on multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis

Abstract

The periodic fluctuations in water levels in reservoir areas subject slope rocks to both wet-dry cycles and cyclic shear stresses. Understanding the deterioration mechanisms of rocks under these conditions is crucial for ensuring their long-term stability. In this study, limestone samples were collected from the site, then mechanical tests and acoustic emission (AE) were conducted. The multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA) was used to analyze the AE time series of the samples. The results indicate that the primary causes of decreased shear strength are the shearing of micro-asperities on the sample surface under cyclic shear, and the erosion of soluble mineral crystals under wet-dry cycles. The MF-DFA spectra revealed that the frequency of frictional damage events exceeded that of micro-asperity shear failures. Wet-dry cycles were found to decrease shear strength primarily by facilitating the shearing of existing micro-asperities, while their capacity to generate new micro-asperities was weak. The MF-DFA characteristics with time of AE can serve as an early warning indicator of sample deformation and failure. Compared to existing methods, this approach exhibits better early warning performance. The findings provide valuable insights for the assessment and early warning of long-term stability of geotechnical bodies in reservoir areas.

Keywords

jointed limestone / wet-dry cycles / cyclic shear / acoustic emission / multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis

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