In view of the typical anisotropy of columnar jointed basalt in the dam area of the Baihetan Hydropower Station on the Jinsha River in China, columnar jointed rock mass models with different column angles (α = 0°–90°) were constructed with similar materials, and three sets of intermittent joints are considered in the physical models. Uniaxial and equal-confining-pressure triaxial compression tests were carried out with a true triaxial testing machine, and the variations of the failure mechanisms, stress-strain relationships, and strength characteristics of the columnar jointed rock masses with the joint inclination angle were investigated under different stress conditions. The results revealed the following: 1) during triaxial compression, two types of stress-strain curves existed, namely the ideal plastic curve and the strain-hardening curve; 2) the strength and elastic modulus of the sample under uniaxial compression presented U-shaped curves with the variation of α. Moreover, the strength of the samples increased with the change of α under triaxial compression, and the elastic modulus E_r increased significantly with the increase of the confining pressure. 3) There were four typical types of failure within the columnar joint samples under triaxial compression. In addition, the test data were used to verify that the Mogi strength criterion good applicability to the columnar jointed rock mass under three-dimensional stress. An empirical prediction model of the relationship between the elastic modulus and confining pressure of the columnar jointed rock mass was established, and its applicable conditions were analyzed. The empirical prediction model is verified by the test results of the columnar jointed rock mass, which indicates that the prediction model was in good agreement with the test data. Finally, the strength characteristics and failure modes of columnar jointed rock masses under different loading conditions were summarized.

Capacity degrading over repeated charge/discharge cycles is a main parameter for evaluating battery performance, which is commonly used for determining the state of health. However, it is difficult to measure the available capacity because it requires the normal operation to be terminated and a long time-consuming detection process. This study presents an online available-capacity estimation method by combining extended Kalman filter (EKF) with Gaussian process regression (GPR) for the daily partial charge data of lithium-ion batteries. First, GPR is used to establish an empirical model of the time-voltage curve in the constant current charge cases. Second, by analyzing the characteristics of the charge curve, the daily piecewise partially charge data are registered with the piecewise complete charge data to update GPR model and preestimate the equivalent complete charge time. On this basis, the equivalent complete charge time is refined by EKF. Furthermore, the available capacity estimation of the battery with constant current charge processes under different aging conditions is achieved. It is verified by experiments that the estimated error can be controlled within 5% when the actual available capacity is greater than 90% of the initial capacity.

Because of its special structure, the anisotropic properties of columnar jointed rock mass (CJRM) are complicated, which brings difficulty to engineering construction. To comprehensively study the anisotropic characteristics of CJRM, uniaxial compression tests were conducted on artificial CJRM specimens. Quadrangular, pentagonal and hexagonal prism CJRM models were introduced, and the dip direction of the columnar joints was considered. Based on the test results and the structural features of the three CJRM models, the deformation and strength characteristics of CJRM specimens were analyzed and compared. The failure modes and mechanisms of artificial specimens with different dip directions were summarized in accordance with the failure processes and final appearances. Subsequently, the anisotropic degrees of the three CJRM models in the horizontal plane were classified, and their anisotropic characteristics were described. Finally, a simple empirical expression was adopted to estimate the strength and deformation of the CJRM, and the derived equations were used in the Baihetan Hydropower Station project. The calculated values are in good agreement with the existing research results, which reflects the engineering application value of the derived empirical equations.

In this work, an anisotropic constitutive model of hexagonal columnar jointed rock masses is established to describe the distribution law of deformation and the failure of columnar joint caverns under anisotropic conditions, and is implemented to study the columnar jointed rock mass at the dam site of the Baihetan Hydropower Station on the Jinsha River. The model is based on the Cosserat theory and considers the mesoscopic bending effect on the macroscopic mean. The influences of joint plane inclination on equivalent anisotropic elastic parameters are discussed via the introduction of an off-axis transformation matrix and the analysis of an example. It is also pointed out that the six-prism columnar jointed rock mass changes from transverse isotropy to anisotropy under the influence of the angle. A numerical calculation program of the Cosserat constitutive model is developed and is applied to the simulation calculation of a Baihetan diversion tunnel to compare and analyze the respective plastic zones and stress distributions after tunnel excavation under both isotropic and anisotropic conditions. The results reveal that, compared with the isotropic model, the proposed Cosserat anisotropic model better reflects the state of stress and asymmetric distribution of the plastic zone after tunnel excavation, and the actual deformation of the surrounding rock of the tunnel is greater than that calculated by the isotropic method. The results aid in a better understanding of the mechanical properties of rock masses.

Many columnar jointed rock masses (basalt) are present at the Baihetan hydropower dam site, and their seepage characteristics have a significant impact on the project’s safety and stability. In this study, model samples consisting of material similar to the columnar jointed rock mass with different inclination angles (0°–90°) were prepared and laboratory triaxial seepage tests were performed to study the seepage characteristics of the columnar jointed rock mass under maximum axial principal stress. The experimental results showed that the similar material model samples of columnar jointed rock mass showed obvious seepage anisotropy. The nonlinear seepage characteristics were well described by the Forchheimer and Izbash equations, and the fitting coefficients of the two equations were in good correspondence. The curves describing the relationship between the inherent permeability and the stress of the samples with different dip angles were U‐shaped and L‐shaped, and a one‐variable cubic equation well described the relationship. The 45° angle specimen had the highest sensitivity to the maximum principal stress, and its final permeability increased by 144.25% compared with the initial permeability. The research results can provide theoretical support for the stability evaluation of the Baihetan hydropower station.