## 5 Discussion of the Results  
Figure 11 shows the evolution of rock deformation and damage under the different working conditions. For the no-anchor condition (0 anchor), the specimen showed typical oblique shear damage characteristics, and at the same time, in the region near the top and bottom boundaries, a block spalling phenomenon occurred, and with the continuous increase in the axial load, the main macroscopic rupture surface running through the specimen was presented eventually. Under the single-anchor action (1 anchor), the deformation of the specimen near the anchor was significantly lower than that in other areas due to the limiting effect of the anchor. At the same time, the main rupture surface of the rock was blocked, and it can be seen from the figure that an obvious reinforcement zone was formed near the anchor. Under the condition of double anchors (2 anchors), the restriction effect of anchors was more obvious, the range of strengthened area was wider, and the rock rupture surface was strongly blocked. This indicates that the anchors played a reinforcing and fracture stopping role on the rock, and the more anchors (or the more intensive) meant a more obvious reinforcing effect.  
Figure 12 shows the maximum stress distribution characteristics of the anchor solid. From the figure, it can be seen that due to the embedded anchor in the specimen, the lateral expansion of the specimen occurred after the external load was applied, and the tensioning effect of the anchor was obvious. The specimen gradually produced oblique shear damage near the top-bottom boundary. However, due to the tensile action of the anchor rods, the crack expansion was inhibited, and the tension stress of the anchor rods near the potential rupture area (ellipse area) in the figure was more obvious (the anchor rods are in the red color, which represents a higher stress), which indicates that the anchor rods played a role of reinforcing and stopping cracks in the rock, and the more densely the anchors were installed, the more obvious their reinforcing effect was.  
Figure 10: Numerical model of anchor solid. (**a–c**) denote the anchored solid consisting of no anchor specimen, 1 anchor specimen, and 2 anchor specimens, respectively.  
Figure 13 shows a schematic diagram of the reinforcing action of the anchor rods, from which it can be seen that the anchor rods limited the deformation of the specimen and formed an anchor support anchorage force, similar to a small lateral circumferential  
Figure 11: Deformation damage cloud diagram of different specimens.  
Figure 12: Characterization of the maximum stress distribution in the anchor solid.  
pressure. In the area of anchor cementation and action, a reinforcement zone was formed, which can greatly limit the development of internal cracks as well as the lateral expansion of the rock and provide protection to the specimen. Compared with the limited scope of the reinforced zone under the single-anchor condition, the reinforced zone under the double-anchor condition had a wider scope, and there was a superposition effect, which effectively strengthened the bonding effect of the anchor and the rock body. This, as a result, gave a better supporting effect to the anchor, which greatly alleviated the rock's rupture development, effectively harmonized its overall deformation, and played a key role in stabilizing it.