Abstract: Potential evaluation of rockburst is an important topic for risk estimation in construction, construction cost and planning project layout in the primary stage or feasibility study stage of the project. There still exist some disadvantages in application of the evaluation method of rockburst proneness or the stress-strength ratio. Therefore, an evaluation method was suggested on the potential rockburst problem, considering three aspects of both the interior and exterior of factors including rock mechanics properties, qualities of surrounding rockmass and in-situ stresses. The corresponding geological conditions of rockburst sections were summarized to conclude that rockburst occurs mainly in II or I grade of surrounding rock mass. The test method of rockburst proneness index was improved to inflection points of volume strain for unloading control points. A new index of potential index of rockburst was put forward by introducing three factors of elastic strain energy index, stress intensity ratio and principal stress ratio. Then, the corresponding threshold values of the new index were presented. The proposed evaluation method provides a simple and scientific way for estimation of rockburst risk in the feasibility study stage .

Key words: potential rockburst, rockburst proneness, quality classification of surrounding rock mass, elastic strain energy index, stress-strength ratio