NPR Anchors as Rock-Burst Mitigation Measures: Insight from Numerical Simulation and Field Test

Abstract In rock blasting projects, traditional support measures are unable to effectively address the high-stress impact and surrounding rock deformation caused by blasting, posing a serious threat to project safety and stability. To explore more effective blasting mitigation solutions, this study investigates the performance of a novel anchor. Before introducing the rock-burst energy mechanism, impact-related rock fracture is discussed using on-site photographs of conventional PR support. A mechanical model illustrates the energy source and transformation during the impact process. To evaluate the effectiveness of a novel flexible energy-dissipating NPR (negative Poisson’s ratio) anchor in mitigating blasting vibration, this study combined numerical simulations with field tests. A refined numerical model based on FLAC was developed to accurately characterize the interface behavior, mechanical properties, and rock mass constitutive properties of the new anchor. The new anchor support system was deployed in the rock formation on-site, and a series of controlled blasting events were conducted to quantify its vibration reduction effect. The model was rigorously calibrated and validated using field data. The research results show that: (1) this new type of anchor can significantly resist the acceleration amplitude of explosion energy by 52.1%, effectively reducing the intensity of blasting vibration; (2) the numerical simulation successfully reproduces the vibration propagation law observed in the field and the stress wave barrier and energy dissipation mechanism of the anchor, revealing its inherent mechanism of changing the wave field distribution and weakening the vibration energy in the rock mass. This study confirms the feasibility and superiority of the new anchor as an active and efficient blasting vibration mitigation measure. Its evaluation method combined with numerical simulation provides a reliable basis for engineering design and optimization.