journal article·2025-12-30Open access

The Multivariate Information Response Law During the Failure Process of Sandstone with Different Water Saturations

Huining Ni, Chang Liu, Chao Yuan, Fei Li, Yilong Li, Gexuanzi Luo, Xuyang Chen, Hao Lv

Applied Sciences· Volume 16· Issue 1

Abstract

During mining, rock failure and water infiltration induce variations in deformation, energy release, electrical conductivity, and water content. Their response laws underpin water-preserving mining optimization, environmental impact mitigation, and mining area sustainability, while facilitating the prediction of stratum instability and water migration. In this study, uniaxial compression experiments were conducted on sandstone with different water saturations, during which the responses of strain, acoustic emission energy, and electrical resistivity were monitored. The temporal characteristics of the rock’s multi-parameter responses were analyzed, and the influence of water content on precursor information of rock failure was revealed. Multi-parameter response equations for rocks under loading, incorporating the effect of water saturation, were established. A segmented variable-weight-integrated damage constitutive model for water-bearing rocks was developed based on the multi-parameter responses. The findings showed that the temporal characteristics of multi-parameter coupling responses can reflect the damage evolution and pore water migration during the instability and failure process of water-bearing rocks. As water saturation increased from 0% to 100%, the rock exhibited the following variations: peak stress decreased by 38.49%, strain at peak stress increased by 8.79%, elastic modulus decreased by 41.58%, cumulative acoustic emission energy drops by 93.23%, and initial electrical resistivity plummets by 98.02%. Compared with the theoretical stress–strain curves based on strain damage variables, cumulative acoustic emission energy damage variables, and electrical resistivity damage variables, the theoretical stress–strain curve based on the integrated damage variable shows better agreement with the measured curve, with the coefficient of determination exceeding 0.98. The research findings offer valuable insights into rock mass instability and groundwater migration, supporting water-preserving mining and sustainable mining area development.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Rock Mechanics and Modeling · Earthquake Detection and Analysis · Geophysical and Geoelectrical Methods

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Changsha Institute of Mining Research Co., Ltd., Changsha 410012, China

State Key Laboratory of Safety Technology of Metal Mines, Changsha 410012, China

School of Resources, Environment and Safety Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China

School of Mines, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China

Funding

State Key Laboratory Special Programs of China Minmetals Corporation

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