Rock masses consist of nesting rock blocks with various scales separated by weak structural layers,and their complex hierarchical structures play a significant role in dynamic deformation and stress wave propagation.In this paper,based on the Cosserat theory,a dynamic model of pendulum-type and rotational waves in blocky rock mass with complex hierarchical structures is established to determine the influence of hierarchical structures on dynamic deformation.Then,aiming at low-frequency and low-velocity characteristics of pendulum-type waves,dispersion equations of waves are determined and solved in different hierarchical structures based on the Bloch theorem,and furthermore,the dispersion relation and velocity characteristics of waves are investigated.Finally,mechanism of low-frequency characteristics of pendulum-type waves is revealed on the basis of solid energy band theory,and the possibility of pendulum-type and rotational waves inducing rock bursts is discussed based on the research results.It is indicated that ignoring higher-order hierarchical structures of rock masses may underestimate displacement and overall deformation of rock masses,resulting in unsafe numerical results.Under the action of long wave disturbance,for the first mode pendulum-type waves(the acoustic branches),the dispersion is not significant and propagation velocity decreases,and higher-order hierarchical structures inside rock masses hinder the wave propagation.However,the dispersion of other waves(the optical branches)is significant so that they hardly exist and propagate independently.The low-frequency pendulum-type waves are dominant,which have slower attenuation and longer propagation distance than the high-order mode waves and traditional P and S-waves.
rock mechanicsblocky rock massespendulum-type wavesrotational waveshierarchical structuresdispersion relationCosserat theory