Improvement of Rock Bolt Profiles using Analytical and Numerical Methods
The anchorage capacity of fully grouted bolts has been studied for many years, however the bolt rib profile and its effect on bolt shear resistance is poorly understood. A new development in calculating load transfer capacity between two rib profiles of varying geometries is discussed. The derived mathematical equations presented calculate the stress distribution adjacent to the fully grouted bolt and bolt pull out force needed to fail the resin. The Fast Lagrangian Analysis Continua (FLAC) program was used to verify the calculations of stress within the resin. The novel idea of coupling the bolt geometry with the calculated stress provides another powerful tool to investigate the bolt profile configuration and its effects on the load transfer mechanism for the benefit of the mining industry.
Bolt surface configurations and load transfer mechanism
A series of laboratory based push and pull tests were carried out to investigate how surface profile influence the load transfer mechanism of bolt/resin interface. Tests were carried out in both 75 mm and 150 mm long steel sleeves. Three types of bolts were examined, they were bolts most commonly used for strata reinforcements in underground coal mines in Australia. The bolts had near equal core diameter but of different profile configurations. The change in the length of the encapsulation sleeve was examined in light of the small number of profiles encapsulated effectively in short 75 mm long sleeves. The results showed that peak loads and displacements were directly related to the height and the spacing of the bolt surface profiles. Profile spacing appears to have greater influence on load transfer capacity than the profile height.
Bond of cement grouted reinforcing bars under constant radial pressure
Abstract A ribbed rebar or rock bolt, grouted with Portland cement is the most common type of reinforcement in geomechanical projects such as tunnels, rock slopes and foundations. Due to the frictional nature of the bond slip the normal stress acting on the rebar is the most important parameter controlling the bond capacity of the reinforcement. The more the confining stress, the higher would be the mobilized load bearing capacity of the system. To quantify this effect, series of laboratory tests were designed to study the effect of confining pressure on the bond capacity. A modified triaxial Hoek cell (usually used for testing the strength of rock samples under radial confining pressure) was used to facilitate application of a “constant radial confining pressure” to the grouted sample while pulling the bolt axially through the cement annulus. During test, axial load and displacement of the bolt as well as the radial dilation of the grout was recorded and stored in computer using a data acquisition system. The results show a non-linear relation between the increase of bond capacity and confining pressure. The radial dilation is quantified also as a function of confining pressure. A peak-residual behaviour is also a characteristic of these results which shows the importance of limiting the deformation of rock blocks to avoid entering into the post peak range of the reinforcement with low values of bond.