Primary and remote fracture around underground cavities

Abstract The development of fractures around cavities in rock is examined using physical and numerical models. In uniaxial compression, fracture proceeds from primary through remote to compressional (slabbing) fracture. There is a wide stress interval where the only event is the stable propagation of the primary fracture. When the crack length becomes equal to about the size of the diameter of the cavity, the critical stress condition shifts to either side of the primary fracture, leading to the nucleation of remote fractures. Almost simultaneously, failure at the compressive stress concentration follows. With increasing stress, fracture in the remote region is seen to extend away from and towards the compressive region, eventually merging with the slabbing fractures. Increasing the confining pressure shortens the stress interval during which primary fracture is the only process and shifts failure to the remote and the compressional fracture zone.