Abstract

To study the three-dimensional strength characteristics of rockfill material under an anisotropic state, the anisotropic state variables were introduced into the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion, and the failure criterion describing the three-dimensional strength of rockfill which was obtained in linear form in this paper. The anisotropic state variables were established with the fabric of rockfill particles. Based on the experimental results of a large triaxial consolidated drained test, fractal dimension theory was introduced to study the relationship between strength and deformation characteristics under different gradation and confining pressures. The experimental results and simulation have shown that: (1) The fractal theory can be used to quantitatively describe the rockfill particles crushing with all kinds of grades under different stress levels. (2) The fabric of rockfill particles was closely related to the three-dimensional strength characteristics. (3) The anisotropic state variables can describe the three-dimensional strength characteristics of rockfill well from a microscopic perspective.