Evolutionary features of microscopic damage in shale under unloading action.

Yanxu Liang1, Haicheng She1,2, Wangji Ding1

  • 1School of Urban Construction, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China.

Plos One
|September 10, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Unloading disturbances in rocks cause microscopic damage, increasing cracks and shifting pore sizes. Higher unloading amplitudes significantly accelerate rock damage and reduce mechanical properties like shear strength.

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