In rocks or rock-like materials, the constituents, e.g. quartz, calcite and biotite, as well as the microdefects have considerably different mechanical properties that make such materials heterogeneous at different degrees. The failure of materials subjected to external loads is a cracking process accompanied with stress redistribution due to material heterogeneity. However, the latter cannot be observed from the experiments in laboratory directly. In this study, the cracking and stress features during uniaxial compression process are numerically studied based on a presented approach. A plastic strain dependent strength model is implemented into the continuous numerical tool—Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua in three Dimensions (FLAC^3D), and the Gaussian statistical function is adopted to depict the heterogeneity of mechanical parameters including elastic modulus, friction angle, cohesion and tensile strength. The mean parameter μ and the coefficient of variance (h_cv, the ratio of mean parameter to standard deviation) in the function are used to define the mean value and heterogeneity degree of the parameters, respectively. The results show that this numerical approach can perfectly capture the general features of brittle materials including fracturing process, AE events as well as stress-strain curves. Furthermore, the local stress disturbance is analyzed and the crack initiation stress threshold is identified based on the AE events process and stress-strain curves. It is shown that the stress concentration always appears in the undamaged elements near the boundary of damaged sites. The peak stress and crack initiation stress are both heterogeneity dependent, i.e., a linear relation exists between the two stress thresholds and h_cv. The range of h_cv is suggested as 0.12 to 0.21 for most rocks. The stress concentration degree is represented by a stress concentration factor and found also heterogeneity dominant. Finally, it is found that there exists a consistent tendency between the local stress difference and the AE events process.

Brittle failure, also known as rockburst, is a violent phenomenon that occurs during the excavation of hard rock in areas with high geostress, particularly at great depths. The induced hazards have been a global concern since the first half of the 20th century, leading to extensive efforts to understand the mechanisms and develop effective approaches to predict and control such rock mass failures. To understand the current state of research and future prospects of rockburst, a comprehensive review of past developments has been conducted. Firstly, we briefly summarize different definitions and types of rockburst. Next, we delve into the various technologies and methods employed in rockburst research and analyze the current knowledge on the mechanisms, classifications, and prediction of rockbursts. Then, we examine the existing methods for preventing and controlling these events. Despite the advancements made, the relationship between the behavior of rock masses at different scales, both in the laboratory and real-world conditions, remains an area of challenge. Additionally, the absence of rock mass classifications under high in-situ stress and lack of accuracy in rockburst prediction methods remain persistent issues that need to be addressed. This study delves into cutting-edge rockburst research, illuminating potential ground support strategies and empowering the mining industry in order to unleash innovative solutions for controlling these explosive phenomena.

The demand for land exploitation to accommodate increasing population in metropolis is escalating worldwide. The unprecedented Mountain Excavation and City Construction project in the hilly gully Loess Plateau of China is a crustal surgery to seek the balance between urbanization and sustainability in the forerunner Yan'an city. Here, we rely on multisource remote sensing imagery to characterize the contemporary anthropogenic modification of the loess landscape. The topography has been reshaped with ±80‐m elevation changes and 1.28 × 10⁸‐m³ mass transfer by 2015. The subsidence rates at up to ∼70 mm/year during 2014–2020 are proportional to the amount of the filling mass, which is expected to reach stabilization by 2030. Hundreds‐of‐kilopascal stress changes are distributed in the shallow zone due to the mass transfer. Continuous monitoring is an integral part of hazard mitigation in this naturally landslide hazard‐prone loess environment.

Toppling failure is one of the most common failure types in the field. It always occurs in rock masses containing a group of dominant discontinuities dipping into the slope. Post-earthquake investigation has shown that many toppling rock slope failures have occurred during earthquakes. In this study, an analytical solution is presented on the basis of limit equilibrium analysis. The acceleration of seismic load as well as joint persistence within the block base, were considered in the analysis. The method was then applied into a shake table test of an anti-dip layered slope model. As predicted from the analytical method, blocks topple or slide from slope crest to toe progressively and the factor of safety decreases as the inputting acceleration increases. The results perfectly duplicate the deformation features and stability condition of the physical model under the shake table test. It is shown that the presented method is more universal than the original one and can be adopted to evaluate the stability of the slope with potential toppling failure under seismic loads.