Performance of D-bolts Under Static Loading

D-bolt is a type of energy-absorbing rock bolt. It is made of a smooth steel bar with anchors spaced along the bolt length. A typical section between adjacent anchors is approximately 1-m long, but it can be adjusted to adapt to the rock conditions. The bolt is fully encapsulated with either cement or resin grout in a borehole. The anchors are firmly fixed into the grout, while the smooth bolt sections can freely deform to absorb deformation energy. Full-scale static pull tests were carried out at different testing facilities in two laboratories. The tests show that a smooth bolt section between anchors may elongate by 110–167 mm depending on the section length. Field trials of the D-bolt were conducted in deep metal mines. The measurements showed that the D-bolts were equally loaded within every anchor-between section, avoiding load peaks and premature bolt failure due to stress concentrations caused by fracture/joint opening. The field trials of rebar and D-bolts in a largely deformed mine tunnel showed that the D-bolts behaved satisfactorily, with only a few failed bolts, while a number of the rebar bolts failed at the thread.