Underground powerhouse, Microseismic (MS) monitoring, Numerical simulation, Gently inclined faults, Progressive failure characteristics, Engineering geology. Rock mechanics. Soil mechanics. Underground construction, TA703-712

Ensuring the stability of the surrounding rock mass is of great importance during the construction of a large underground powerhouse. The presence of unfavorable structural planes within the rock mass, such as faults, can lead to substantial deformation and subsequent collapse. A series of in situ experiments and discrete element numerical simulations have been conducted to gain insight into the progressive failure behavior and deformation response of rocks in relation to controlled collapse scenarios involving gently inclined faults. First, the unloading damage evolution process of the surrounding rock mass is characterized by microscopic analysis using microseismic (MS) data. Second, the moment tensor inversion method is used to elucidate the temporal distribution of MS event fracture types in the surrounding rock mass. During the development stage of the collapse, numerous tensile fracture events occur, while a few shear fractures corresponding to structural plane dislocation precede their occurrence. The use of the digital panoramic borehole camera, acoustic wave test, and numerical simulation revealed that gently inclined faults and deep cracks at a certain depth from the cavern periphery are the primary factors contributing to rock collapse. These results provide a valuable case study that can help anticipate and mitigate fault-slip collapse incidents while providing practical insights for underground cave excavation.