Rock failure and nonlocal elasticity theory

Abstract

The paper considers failure of a stratum within the framework of a nonlocal elasticity theory for a plastic flow. Here, the nonlocality is determined by dependence between deformation energy and metric deformation tensor derivatives. Our study has demonstrated that in case of a stratum under lateral stress, the spatial distribution of shear stress changes periodically. The maximum stress values are obtained in nonsteady regime. The following rock failures are associated with the zones of maximum shear loading.