Time effect and prediction of broken rock bulking coefficient on the base of particle discrete element method

Abstract Bulking characteristics of gangue are of great significance for the stability of goafs in mining overburden in the caving zones. In this paper, a particle discrete element method with clusters to represent gangue was adopted to explore the bulking coefficient time effect of the broken rock in the caving zone under three-dimensional triaxial compression condition. The phenomena of stress corrosion, deformation, and failure of rock blocks were simulated in the numerical model. Meanwhile, a new criterion of rock fragments damage was put forward. It was found that the broken rock has obvious viscoelastic properties. A new equation based on the Burgers creep model was proposed to predict the bulking coefficient of broken rock. A deformation characteristic parameter of the prediction equation was analyzed, which can be set as a fixed value in the mid- and long-term prediction of the bulking coefficient. There are quadratic function relationships between the deformation characteristic parameter value and Talbot gradation index, axial pressure and confining pressure.