Experimental investigations on effects of gas pressure on mechanical behaviors and failure characteristic of coals

The mechanical behavior of coal is the key factor affecting underground coal mining and coalbed methane extraction. In this study, triaxial compression and seepage tests were carried out on coal at different gas pressures. The mechanical properties and failure process of coal were studied, as well as the acoustic emission (AE) and strain energy. The influence of gas pressure on the mechanical parameters of this coal was analyzed. Based on the conventional energy calculation formula, the pore pressure was introduced through the effective stress formula, and each energy component of coal containing gas was refined innovatively. The contribution of gas pressure to the total energy input and dissipation during loading was quantitatively described. Finally, the influence of gas pressure on coal strength was theoretically analyzed from the perspectives of Mohr–Coulomb criterion and fracture mechanics. The results show that the total absorbed energy comprises the absorbed energy in the axial pressure direction (positive) and in the confining pressure direction (negative), as well as that induced by the pore pressure (initially negative and then positive). The absorbed energy in the axial pressure direction accounts for the main proportion of the total energy absorbed by coal. The quiet period of AE in the initial stage shortens, and AE activity increases during the pre-peak stage under high gas pressure. The fractal characteristics of AE in three stages are studied using the correlation dimension. The AE process has different forms of self-similarity in various deformation stages.