Fig. 8

Loading displacements at volume-expansion points (VEPs) and peak-stress points (PSPs) of rock bridge A (\( d_{{{\text{VEP}}}}^{{\text{A}}} \) and \( d_{{{\text{PSP}}}}^{{\text{A}}} \)) and B (\( d_{{{\text{VEP}}}}^{{\text{B}}} \) and \( d_{{{\text{PSP}}}}^{{\text{B}}} \)). The shaded region represents an effective interaction range between rock bridges A and B.