Stress–Energy Mechanism for Rock Failure Evolution Based on Damage Mechanics in Hard Rock

To investigate the quantification of the extent of damage by considering the energy during rock failure, the pattern of energy dissipation and energy conversion, and the stress–energy mechanism for induced rock failure were analysed under cyclic loading/unloading. Based on damage mechanics, rock mechanics, and energy conservation theory, the test data were analysed. The results showed that the characteristics of hard rock compression are small deformation, high energy, and sudden failure; an elastic–plastic damage constitutive model and a stress–energy–rigidity–damage multi-criteria model for rock failure were established for hard rock. We compared the numerical curves and the experimental curves and found that they coincide. Rock failure is a combination of the results of elastic strain accumulation and dissipation by stress propagation. The key to inducing the energy storage capacity of rock before failure is closely related to the rock damage evolution. The pattern of energy release and dissipation through stress during rock failure was revealed from the perspective of energy using the constitutive model and multi-criteria model established for rock failure; these theoretical studies are very helpful in elucidating the mechanism of rock failure.