Physical Test and Numerical Analysis of Damage Mechanism of Rocky Foundation in Strata with Parallel Development of Structural Surfaces

The growth of rock structural surfaces makes the deformation and stability analysis of rock pits more complex and challenging than that of soil pits. This study investigated the deformation characteristics and failure evolution laws of rocky foundation in strata with parallel development of structural surfaces through the physical model test based on the similarity principle and numerical computational analysis. The results of the study revealed the deformation evolution law and damage mechanism of rocky foundation pit: when the rocky pit excavation depth is less than its critical self-stabilizing height the rocky foundation is still stable. If the pit continues to be excavated or new loads are applied, the pit will go through a phase of overburden crack development, a phase of cumulative deformation of the structural face, and collapse of the sliding body. At this point the rocky foundation undergoes wedge damage and the sliding body will collapse along the structural face of the first excavation. The results of the studies can serve as a useful reference and guide for the excavation and support design of real-world rock foundation projects that are similar.