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Hard rock failure and rockburst hazards under high in situ stresses have been the subject of deep rock mechanics and engineering. Previous investigations employed cubic rock specimens with a central hole for simulation of rock fracturing around deep tunnels at a laboratory scale, while the failure characteristics and crack evolution behavior around different shapes of holes induced by excavation unloading response have been barely considered. A commercially combined finite‐discrete element method (combined FEM/DEM) was used to investigate the failure characteristics and crack propagation process of typical hard rock specimens (marble) via the unloading of central hole with different shapes. Rock heterogeneity was also considered in the model in combination with the engineering reality. The combined FEM/DEM approach was first validated by simulating uniaxial compression and Brazilian tests. Then, the parametrical analysis was conducted in detail on the basis of five different sectional shapes of central holes, including a circle, ellipse, U‐shape, trapezoid, and cube, and two lateral pressure coefficients. Analysis of crack propagation paths, released strain energy, displacement, and average velocity distribution of the monitoring points around the central hole suggests that the failure degree and destruction intensity are strongly related to the sectional shape and lateral pressure coefficients. Hard and brittle rock failure induced by the excavation unloading effect can be classified as stable failure (slabbing failure) and unstable failure (strain rockburst). The cubic, trapezoidal, and U‐shaped holes within the specimen are the most likely to induce unstable failure, while stable failure is the dominant failure pattern around circular and elliptical holes. The lateral pressure coefficient λ was also found to affect failure position and intensity (only for the axisymmetric section) around the central hole. The influence of rock heterogeneity on failure intensity and range around the central hole within the specimen was also discussed. This study emphasizes the importance and necessity of the excavation unloading effect when evaluating surrounding rock failure around deep tunnels.

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With the increasing of coal mining depth, the mining conditions are deteriorating, and dynamic hazard is becoming more likely to happen. This paper analyzes the relations and differences between rockburst in the coal mine and rockburst in the metal mine. It divides coal mine rockburst into two types including static loading type during roadway excavation process and dynamic loading type during mining face advancing. It proposes the correlation between the formation process of rockburst and the evolution of overlying strata spatial structure of the stope, criterion of rockburst occurrence, new classification, and predictive evaluation method for rockburst hazard that rockburst damage evaluation (RDE) = released energy capacity (REC)/absorbed energy capacity (AEC). Based on the relationship between RDE value and its corresponding level of rockburst hazard, the rockburst hazard can be divided into five types and evaluation index of each type can be achieved. Then the ongoing rockburst damage level can be classified in one of the five types, and the relative parameters, such as hazard extent, controlling measures also can be achieved. This new quantitative method could not only assess the impacting direction of rockburst occurrence, but also verify the effect of preventive measures for rockburst.

The successful retaining of the gob‐side entry under a thick and hard roof stratum is difficult because of the high pressure present and complex construction technology commonly used. To solve this problem, a new type of gob‐side entry supporting system is proposed in this paper. This system is mainly composed of concrete‐filled steel tubular columns (CSTCs), flexible cushion, and gob isolation structures. This new supporting system combines the high‐strength support of CSTCs with the flexible support of cushion bodies and is simple to construct, enabling fast and efficient gob‐side entry retaining under a thick and hard roof stratum. The range of the roof strata controlled by gob‐side support structures is determined for a case study, and a calculation formula for the gob‐side support resistance is established. Through theoretical and experimental research, a reasonable calculation formula for the choice of CSTC is also established. The CSTC structure ultimately selects Φ194 × 8 mm hollow steel tubes and C40 grade concrete for use in a field application, which can provide 4814 kN of supporting force. A simple on‐site construction process is designed for the field application, and the time required for entry retaining per meter is only approximately 40‐45 minutes. This application shows that the new technology controls the deformation of the retained entry very well; the final deformation stabilizes at 412 mm, which meets the engineering requirements.