Dynamic mechanical responses of surrounding rock in abandoned mine caverns under high-pressure impacts
LIU Shuzhong1, YANG Xiaolin1, 2, 3, WANG Longxuan1, ZHANG Wen1, 2, 3*, ZHANG Bin4, 5, WANG Hanxun4，5, CONG Xiaoming6, LONG Yongkang1
(1. College of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Qinghai University, Xining, Qinghai 810016, China; 2. Qinghai Key Laboratory of Building Energy-saving Materials and Engineering Safety, Xining, Qinghai 810016, China; 3. Qinghai Key Laboratory of Compressed Air Energy Storage, Xining, Qinghai 810016, China; 4. School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences(Beijing), Beijing 100083, China; 5. Technology Innovation Center for Major Engineering Geological Safety Risk Prevention and Control, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beijing 100083, China; 6. Qinghai Institute of Geo-Surveying,
Mapping and Information, Xining, Qinghai 810001, China)
Abstract：To assess the suitability and safety of surrounding rocks in abandoned mines for Compressed-Air Energy Storage (CAES) projects, this study examines the abandoned iron ore mine located in the eastern part of the Nalengele River in Qinghai Province, China. It systematically analyzes the engineering geological features and static-dynamic mechanical behaviors of the rocks. Researchers employed digital image correlation (DIC), Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) tests, and ultra-high-speed photography to accurately characterize the dynamic responses and failure mechanisms of three key rock types: granite, marble, and skarn. The results reveal distinct differences in static properties; both granite and skarn exhibit high elastic moduli and a significant potential for rockburst. Under dynamic impact, all rock types follow a consistent pattern of strength enhancement, fracture evolution, and energy dissipation. Dynamic compressive strength and elastic modulus increase sharply with strain rate, and the dynamic increase factor (DIF) shows a linear correlation with the logarithm of the strain rate. As the strain rate rises, crack propagation accelerates, transitioning macrocrack forms from tensile to shear dominance. Specifically, granite demonstrates limited strength growth, characterized by rapid through-going linear fractures that primarily convert energy to crack expansion and debris, resulting in low energy absorption efficiency. Marble exhibits the most substantial increase (DIF ranging from 1.70 to 3.45), with restricted, winding cracks facilitating top energy dissipation. Skarn presents intermediate characteristics, featuring irregular cracks and plastic failure following ductile slip, with moderate energy dissipation. At an impact air pressure of 0.30 MPa, granite and skarn display the phenomenon of “failure strain saturation,” where the slope of the peak strain relative to the increasing strain rate is less than 0.05, indicating saturation, and the strain response ceases to increase significantly with rising air pressure. In contrast, marble continues to demonstrate excellent energy absorption and buffering capacity. These insights provide essential theoretical and practical guidance for site selection, air pressure thresholds, and rock stability in abandoned-mine CAES projects.
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