Load-induced oriented damage and anisotropy of rock-like materials

Theoretical model for deformability of brittle rock-like materials in the presence of an oriented damage of their internal structure is formulated and verified experimentally. This model is based on the assumption that non-linearity of the stress–strain curves of these materials is a result of irreversible process of oriented damage growth. It was also assumed that a material response, represented by the strain tensor, is a function of two tensorial variables: the stress tensor and the damage effect tensor that is responsible for the current state of the internal structure of the material. The explicit form of the respective non-linear stress–strain relations that account for the appropriate damage evolution equation was obtained by employing the theory of tensor function representations and by using the results of own experiments on damage growth. Such an oriented damage that grows in the material, described by the second order symmetric damage effect tensor, results in gradual development of the material anisotropy. The validity of the constitutive equations proposed was verified by using the available experimental results for concrete subjected to the plane state of stress. The relevant experimental data for sandstone and concrete subjected to tri-axial state of stress were also used.