Analytical Model of Seepage Pressure Effect on Dynamic Compressive Fractures Caused by Microcrack Growth in Brittle Rocks

Abstract

The dynamic compression fracture of brittle rock under seepage pressure is a critical issue for deep underground engineering. It directly influences the stability and safety of the surrounding rock during blasting or seismic loading. However, research on the mechanisms of microcrack evolution under these coupled conditions is still lacking. The relationship between microcrack evolution and macroscopic mechanical properties also remains poorly understood. This study develops a micro–macrofracture model grounded in the wing microcrack propagation framework, integrating both mechanical and chemical interactions between free water and rock. Mechanically, it incorporates seepage pressure, dynamic Stefan force, and dynamic fracture toughness. Chemically, it accounts for the effects of saturated water on rock mechanical parameters. This model characterizes the total stress–strain constitutive behavior of brittle rock under varying seepage pressures during dynamic compression failure, encompassing both strain-hardening and strain-softening phases. This result is validated against experimental data. It accounts for the influence of seepage pressure on both the initial crack and the newly formed wing crack. The seepage pressure weakens the wedging force F _W on the initial crack while enhancing the seepage tensile force F _P on the wing crack, which constitutes the seepage pressure-driven crack growth mechanism. Furthermore, under the combined effects of dynamic loading and free water, the dynamic Stefan force F _S and the dynamic fracture toughness K _ICD serve as the mechanism for inhibiting crack growth. The combined influences of seepage pressure, confining pressure and initial crack characteristics on the dynamic mechanical behavior of brittle rock under seepage pressure are discussed.