Fracture evolution process (initiation, propagation and coalescence) of cracked rock was observed and the force- displacement curves of cracked rock were measured under uniaxial cyclic loading. The tested specimens made of sandstone-like modeling material contained three pre-existing intermittent cracks with different geometrical distributions. The experimental results indicate that the fatigue deformation limit corresponding to the maximal cyclic load is equal to that of post-peak locus of static complete force?displacement curve; the fatigue deformation process can be divided into three stages: initial deformation, constant deformation rate and accelerative deformation; the time of fracture initiation, propagation and coalescence corresponds to the change of irreversible deformation.
In the light of the localized progressive damage model,the evolution law of cohesive and frictional strength with irreversible strains was determined.Then,the location and the extent of the excavation disturbed zone in one deep rock engineering were predicted by using the strength evolution law.The theoretical result is close to the result of in-situ test.The strength evolution law excels the elastic-perfectly plastic model and elasto-brittle plastic model in which the cohesive and frictional strength are mobilized simultaneously.The results obtained indicate that the essential failure mechanism of the cracked rock can be described by the cohesion weakening and friction strengthening evolution law.
