Investigation of Energy and Damage Evolutions in Rock Specimens with Large-Scale Inclined Prefabricated Cracks by Uniaxial Compression Test and AE Monitoring

To explore the energy dissipation mechanism and damage evolution characteristics of rock specimens under compressive loading, we performed the acoustic emission (AE) testing under uniaxial compression in intact rock specimens and those with large-scale prefabricated cracks. The basic mechanical properties of both types of specimens were analyzed comprehensively, and the evolution patterns of strain energy indicators (total strain, elastic, and dissipative energies) in rock specimens before the peak on the stress-strain curve were identified. We further revealed the effect of the prefabricated crack dip angle, which controlled the surplus energy conversion of the following peak deformation and failure in the rock specimens. Using the modified equation of rock specimen damage evolution characterized by the AE energy and examining the fracture surface morphology via the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the AE distribution law for rock specimen damage was revealed. An increase in the prefabricated crack dip angle was shown to reduce the peak stress and strain of rock specimens, which experienced a transition from the tensile and splitting failure mode to shear and slip one. Cracked rock specimens exhibited strain energy accumulation at the elastic deformation stage of the stress-strain diagram and rapid energy consumption at the plastic stage. By contrast, the intact rock specimens had a smoother energy evolution pattern. As the prefabricated crack dip angle increased, the dissipated and surplus strain energies’ shares increased. Moreover, the first peak of the AE energy occurred earlier, and the stress needed for its occurrence decreased as the dip angle increased. According to the damage evolution equation for rock specimens, their damage process can be subdivided into the initial damage, stable damage increase, and the accelerating damage increase stages. An increase in the prefabricated crack dip angle accelerated the damage accumulation in rock specimens. The locking effect of the sawtooth-like structures on the fracture surface was less conspicuous, and the fracture surface roughness increased. Thus, microcracks gradually developed, and rock specimens became more susceptible to sudden unstable failure