In this study, the uniaxial compression test and PFC ^2D numerical simulation were carried out on the artificial rock specimen with T-shaped prefabricated fractures. The effects of the lengths l₁, l₂ of the main fractures, the length l₃ of the secondary fracture, and the angle β between the secondary fracture and the loading direction on the uniaxial compressive strength and crack evolution law of specimen were studied. The research results show that the change of l₁, l₂ and β has obvious effect on the compressive strength and crack growth of the specimen, but the change of l₃ has little effect on the compressive strength of the specimen. When l₃ = 40 mm and l₁ ≠ l₂, the angle β influences on the crack propagation and failure mode of the specimen.

Dynamic biaxial compression tests and Particle Flow Code numerical simulations of the cement mortar specimens with a single joint were carried out to study the mechanical properties and crack evolution of artificial rock samples with a single joint. The effects of lateral stress 𝜎2, loading rate V , the dip angle β (between the vertical loading direction and the joint) on the biaxial compressive strength 𝜎 _b, and the evolution lawof crackwere investigated. Test results showed that; (1) when both the dip angle β and the loading rate V remained unchanged, the biaxial compressive strength 𝜎 _b increased with the increase in the lateral stress 𝜎2, while 𝜎2 had no obvious effect on the crack evolution law; (2) when both the dip angle β and the lateral stress 𝜎2 were kept unchanged, the loading rate V had an insignificant effect on the biaxial compressive strength 𝜎 _b and the crack evolution law; (3) when both the lateral stress 𝜎2 and the loading rate V were constant, the biaxial compressive strength 𝜎 _b decreased first and then increased with the increase in the dip angle β ; however, the dip angle β did not significantly affect the crack evolution law. The conclusions obtained in this paper are presented for the first time.