To prevent large tunnel deformations caused by rock bursts or squeezing ground conditions, rockbolts need to satisfy both strength capacity and the required deformability. Currently, energy-absorbing rockbolts, such as the cone bolt and the D-bolt, have been successfully used in deep mining to avoid sudden tunnel collapses. This paper proposes a new energy-absorbing rockbolt, referred to as a deformation-controlled rockbolt (DC-bolt). The performance of the proposed DC-bolt was verified by numerical simulations using discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) and by prototype laboratory tests. As a result, it is concluded that the DC-bolt possesses both high loading capacity and deformation capacity. Additionally, the DC-bolt can limit rock surface movement when it reaches a certain displacement. Thus, it can be a useful tunnel support for tunnels that are to be excavated in squeezing ground conditions.
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