A large number of construction practice projects have found that there are many joints and microcracks in rock, concrete, and other structures, which cause the complexity of rock mechanical properties and are the main cause of geological or engineering disasters such as earthquakes, landslides, and rock bursts. To establish a rock fracture toughness evaluation method and understand the distribution range of fracture toughness of Longmaxi Formation shale, this study prepared three-point bending semi-circular disk shale samples of Longmaxi Formation with different crack inclination angles. The dimensionless fracture parameters of the samples, including the dimensionless stress intensity factors of type I, type II, and T-stress, were calibrated using the finite element method. Then, the peak load of the samples was tested using quasi-static loading, and the load–displacement curve characteristics of Longmaxi Formation shale and the variation in fracture toughness with crack inclination angle were analyzed. The study concluded that the specimens exhibited significant brittle failure characteristics and that the stress intensity factor is not the sole parameter controlling crack propagation in rock materials. With an increase in crack inclination angle, the prefabricated crack propagation gradually transitions from being dominated by type I fracture to type II fracture, and the T-stress changes from negative to positive, gradually increasing its influence on the fracture. An excessively large relative crack length increases the error in fracture toughness test results. Therefore, this paper suggests that the relative crack length a/R should be between 0.2 and 0.6. The fracture load distribution range of shale samples with different crack angles is 3.27 kN to 10.92 kN. As the crack inclination angle increases, the maximum load that the semi-circular disk shale samples can bear gradually increases. The pure type I fracture toughness of Longmaxi Formation shale is 1.13–1.38 MPa·m^1/2, the pure type II fracture toughness is 0.55–0.62 MPa·m^1/2, and the T-stress variation range of shale samples with different inclination angles is −0.49–9.48 MPa.

Coal seam hydraulic fracturing (CSHF) has recently been applied to mitigate frequent regional rockburst risk in deep mines before mining practice, as an effective substitute for conventional labor‐intensive and time‐consuming rockburst prevention measures. Due to the complex nature of CSHF microseismic signals—e.g., nonstationary, transient, and low signal‐to‐noise ratio—conventional denoising methods tend to yield undesirable results that may preclude reliable evaluation of hydraulic fracturing performance using microseismic data. We propose an advanced denoising method MWPT‐IHHT to achieve twice denoising in a fine and adaptive manner. This method combines a multithreshold wavelet packet transform (MWPT) and an improved Hilbert‐Huang transform (IHHT), with each being improved compared to their conventional counterparts. A quantitative comparison using synthetic signals suggests the outperformance of the proposed method over the commonly used denoising methods in suppressing noises in terms of signal‐to‐noise ratio, signal similarity, and energy percentage. The desirable denoising results of two typical real CSHF signals in a CSHF test at Huafeng Coal Mine further demonstrate the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed MWPT‐IHHT method.

The inherent mineralogical alignment in stratified rock formations engenders pronounced mechanical anisotropy, presenting persistent challenges across geological, geotechnical, and petroleum engineering disciplines. While substantial progress has been made in modeling transversely isotropic media, current methodologies exhibit limitations in reconciling theoretical predictions with complex failure mechanisms. This investigation examines the anisotropic response of diverse lithologies through triaxial testing across bedding orientations (0–90°) and confinement levels (0–60 MPa), revealing a pressure-dependent attenuation of directional strength variations. Experimental evidence identifies three dominant failure modes: cross-bedding shear fracturing, bedding-parallel sliding, and hybrid mechanisms combining both, with transition thresholds governed by confinement intensity and bedding angle. Analytical comparisons demonstrate that conventional single weakness plane models produce characteristic shoulder-shaped strength curves with overpredictions, particularly in hybrid failure regimes. Conversely, the modified patchy weakness plane formulation achieves superior predictive accuracy through parametric representation of anisotropy gradation, effectively capturing strength transitions between end-member failure modes. The Pariseau criterion, though marginally less precise in absolute terms, provides critical insights into directional strength contrasts through its explicit differentiation of vertical versus parallel bedding responses. These findings advance the fundamental understanding of anisotropic rock behavior while establishing practical frameworks for optimizing stability assessments in bedded formations, particularly in high-confinement environments characteristic of deep reservoirs and engineered underground structures.

Strip mining in mines is one of the main mining methods to control surface subsidence and protect the ecological environment. In recent years, strip mining has induced frequent rock burst accidents due to the increase in mining intensity and mining depth. Based on two typical deep strip mining accidents, the characteristics of the changes in spatial structure of the overlying strata caused by strip mining are studied, and the influencing factors of the occurrence of strip mining rock burst are analyzed. A support pressure calculation model is proposed, and estimated and verified in a mine after an analysis of the change law of the overlying strata structure in strip mining and research on the distribution and evolution law of support pressure. Based the above research, a risk evaluation model of the strip mining face is proposed based on the possibility index method, the 4203 working face of a mine is evaluated. Compared with the numerical simulation results, this method is well consistent with the theoretical calculation model. It can be seen that this method has strong practicability and is of great significance for studying the rock burst characteristics of coal seams in strip mining and evaluating the risk of rock burst of coal seams.

Geotechnical slope failures—often precursors to catastrophic landslides and collapses—pose significant risks to mining operations and regional socioeconomic stability. Focusing on the Jiangte Xikeng lithium open-pit mine, this study integrates field reconnaissance, laboratory testing, and multi-physics numerical modeling to elucidate the mechanisms governing slope stability. Geological surveys and core analyses reveal a predominantly granite lithostratigraphy, bisected by two principal fault systems: the NE-striking F01 and the NNE-oriented F02. Advanced three-dimensional finite element simulations—accounting for gravitational loading, hydrogeological processes, dynamic blasting stresses, and extreme rainfall events—demonstrate that strain localizes at slope crests, with maximum displacements reaching 195.7 mm under blasting conditions. They indicate that differentiated slope angles of 42° for intact granite versus 27° for fractured zones are required for optimal stability, and that the integration of fault-controlled instability criteria, a coupled hydro-mechanical-blasting interaction model, and zonal design protocols for heterogeneous rock masses provides both operational guidelines for hazard mitigation and theoretical insights into excavation-induced slope deformations in complex metallogenic environments.