New strength formulae for rock surrounding a circular opening

In this paper, the unified strength theory proposed by Yu Mao-hong in 1991 is used to develop new strength formulae for rock surrounding a tunnel. The new formulae can be applied to an elastic–plastic material. The formulae have a series of expressions with the unified parameter, especially variations such as the well-known Kastner and Airy formulae, which are widely used in rock mechanics and engineering. These formulae are derived on the basis of the Mohr–Coulomb strength criterion. For the strength-weakening (plastic-softening) of geomaterials, the analytical solutions for the radius of the plastic residual zones, radius of the plastic-softening zones, and displacement around the opening are presented according to the elastoplastic-softening – residual plastic, tri-linear stress–strain model. In addition, the derivation for the stress state in the surrounding rock is given. The Kastner formula, Airy formula, and available solutions can be considered as special cases in the new strength formula. The influence of softening, shear dilatancy, and different strength models on the results is analyzed. The results presented in this paper are useful for analyzing surrounding rock with various stress conditions and reinforcement of caves.