True Triaxial Experimental Study on the Variation Characteristics of Rockburst with the Number of Fast Unloading Surfaces

The fast unloading delayed rockburst experiments on single-side, double-side, three-side, and four-side were carried out using the self-developed true triaxial rockburst experimental apparatus, which can realize the fast unloading of multiple loading surfaces in the horizontal direction under high stress. The rockburst experiment’s stress–strain curve, energy evolution, failure characteristics, and acoustic emission (AE) characteristics are investigated. The results show that the rockburst gradually reduces the axial peak stress and strain when increasing the number of unloading surfaces (NUS). The rise in the axial strain at the fast unloading point will progressively grow when the NUS increases, indicating that the sample’s expansion in the unloading direction will gradually increase. Fast unloading causes unloading damage, which causes a sudden rise in dissipated energy at the unloading point. The total energy and elastic strain energy input by axial stress at the bursting point gradually declines when the NUS increases, but the dissipated energy increases. The release rate of elastic strain energy at the bursting point increases when the NUS increases, and the rockburst becomes more intense. The abrupt value of the cumulative AE hits at the fast unloading point and the cumulative AE hits at the burst point increase with the NUS increase. The changing trend of the multifractal parameter, which initially decreases and then rises abruptly, can be regarded as the precursor of rockburst. The hysteresis of the precursor of rockburst grows when the NUS increases.