For　ensuring　safety　and　efficiency　during　the　construction　of　deep　engineering,　it　is　essential　to　explore　the　failure　mode　of　the　surrounding　rock　mass　under　dynamic　disturbance　and　high　geo-stress.　We　conducted　true　triaxial　load　tests　for　rock-like　material　with　a　preexisting　circular　hole,　and　monitored　the　acoustic　emission　(AE)　signal　during　the　whole　test.　The　result　demonstrates　the　evolution　characteristics　of　damage　and　failure　mode　with　different　cyclic　dynamic　load　amplitudes　and　intermediate　principal　stress.　With　the　increase　in　cyclic　dynamic　load　amplitude　or　the　decrease　in　intermediate　principal　stress,　the　failure　source　mainly　occurs　at　the　two　horizontal　side　walls　of　the　surrounding　rock　where　the　failure　patterns　change　from　the　slabbing　to　wall　caving　and,　finally,　to　rockburst.　The　former　failure　mode　can　actually　serve　as　an　important　precursor　for　the　latter.　Based　on　such　mechanisms,　the　precursor　can　be　indirectly　detected　in　forms　of　AE　signal　released　by　microcracking.　The　research　can　provide　a　reliable　guidance　for　the　rock　stability　control　and　faithfully　forecasting　the　larger-scale　failure　during　the　excavation　of　deep　circular　cavern.