Numerical SHPB Tests of Rocks Under Combined Static and Dynamic Loading Conditions with Application to Dynamic Behavior of Rocks Under In Situ Stresses

A modified split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) numerical testing system is established to study the characteristics of rocks under simultaneous static and dynamic loading conditions following verification of the capability of the SHPB numerical system through comparison with laboratory measurements (Liao et al. in Rock Mech Rock Eng, 2016. doi:10.1007/s00603-016-0954-8). Three different methods are employed in this numerical testing system to address the contact problem between a rock specimen and bars. The effects of stand-alone static axial pressure, stand-alone lateral confining pressures, and a combination of them are analyzed. It is determined that the rock total strength and the dynamic strength are greatly dependent on the static axial and confining pressures. Moreover, the friction along the interfaces between the rock specimen and bars cannot be ignored, particularly for high axial pressure conditions. Subsequently, the findings are applied to determine the dynamic behavior of rocks with in situ stresses. The effects of the magnitude of horizontal and vertical initial stresses at varied depths and their ratios are investigated. It is observed that the dynamic strength of deep rocks increases with increasing depth or the ratio of horizontal-to-vertical initial stresses (K). The dynamic behavior of deeper rocks is more sensitive to K, and the rock dynamic strength increases faster with depth in areas with higher K.