Makarov, VV, Ksendzenko, LS, Gnitienko, VV, Golosov, AM, Opanasiuk, NA & Opanasiuk, AA 2012, 'System of trustworthy deformational precursors of highly stressed rock samples failure', in Y Potvin (ed.), Deep Mining 2012: Proceedings of the Sixth International Seminar on Deep and High Stress Mining, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 325-337, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1201_23_makarov (https://papers.acg.uwa.edu.au/p/1201_23_makarov/) Abstract: The phenomena of anomalous deformation and failure of rock specimens under uniaxial compression have been studied in a laboratory. A system of trustworthy deformational precursors of the failure stage was developed. The system includes long-term, middle-term and short-term precursors. The threshold of dilatancy and the turning point of the deformational curve are recognised as long-term precursors. The middle-term precursor is determined as a point of the increment sign change of the specific volume deformation. The short-term precursor is characterised by the specific volume deformation increments jump. The acoustic emission research method had been used to control the deformational and failure process. There was a tight correlation between the deformational precursors system of failure and the mesocracking process under the loading. The mathematical model of self equilibrium stresses had been successfully used to describe the anomalous deformations distribution.