• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.529-543
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• 2022

The lattice-spring-based synthetic rock mass model (LS-SRM) technique has been extensively employed in large open-pit mining and underground projects in the last decade. Since the LS-SRM requires a complex and time-consuming calibration process, a robust approach was developed using the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to optimize the calibration procedure. For this purpose, numerical models were designed using the Box-Behnken Design technique, and numerical simulations were performed under uniaxial and triaxial stress states. The model input parameters represented the models' micro-mechanical (lattice) properties and the macro-scale properties, including uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), elastic modulus, cohesion, and friction angle constitute the output parameters of the model. The results from RSM models indicate that the lattice UCS and lattice friction angle are the most influential parameters on the macro-scale UCS of the specimen. Moreover, lattice UCS and elastic modulus mainly control macro-scale cohesion. Lattice friction angle (flat joint fiction angle) and lattice elastic modulus affect the macro-scale friction angle. Model validation was performed using physical laboratory experiment results, ranging from weak to hard rock. The results indicated that the RSM model could be employed to calibrate LS-SRM numerical models without a trial-and-error process.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.259-268
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• 2020

The synthetic rock mass (SRM) were used to investigate the influence of specimen size on the mechanical properties of jointed rock mass. The SRM were established based on parallel bond model (PBM) and smooth joint model (SJM) and the scaled rock specimens were sampled in two SRMs considering three sampling locations. The research results show that the smaller the initial fracture density is, the greater the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), elastic modulus (E) is when compared with the same sampling location. The mechanical properties of rock specimens obtained by different sampling methods in different SRMs have different scale effects. The strength of rock specimens with more new cracks is not necessarily less than that of rock specimens with fewer new cracks and the failure of rock is caused by the formation of macro-fracture surface.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.471-482
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• 2018

A flat-jointed bonded-particle model (BPM) has been proved to be an effective tool for simulating mechanical behaviours of intact rocks. However, the tedious and time-consuming calibration procedure imposes restrictions on its widespread application. In this study, a systematic approach is proposed for simplifying the calibration procedure. The initial relationships between the microscopic, constitutive parameters and macro-mechanical rock properties are firstly determined through dimensionless analysis. Then, sensitivity analyses and regression analyses are conducted to quantify the relationships, using results from numerical simulations. Finally, four examples are used to demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed systematic approach for the calibration procedure of BPMs.

• 한국터널공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.348-358
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• 2005

Although the evaluation of the mechanical properties and behavior of discontinuous rock masses is very important for the design of underground openings, it has always been considered the most difficult problem. One of the difficulties in describing the rock mass behavior is assigning the appropriate constitutive model. This limitation may be overcome with the progress in discrete element software such as PFC, which does not need the user to prescribe a constitutive model for rock mass. Instead, the micro-scale properties of the intact rock and joints are defined and the macro-scale response results from those properties and the geometry of the problem. In this paper, a $30m{\times}30m{\times}30m$ jointed rock mass of road tunnel site was analyzed. A discrete fracture network was developed from the joint geometry obtained from core logging and surface survey. Using the discontinuities geometry from the DFN model, PFC simulations were carried out, starting with the intact rock and systematically adding the joints and the stress-strain response was recorded for each case. With the stress-strain response curves, the mechanical properties of discontinuous rock masses were determined and compared to the results of empirical methods such as RMR, Q and GSI. The values of Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio and peak strength are almost similar from PFC model and Empirical methods. As expected, the presence of joints had a pronounced effect on mechanical properties of the rock mass. More importantly, the mechanical response of the PFC model was not determined by a user specified constitutive model.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.4 no.6
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• pp.631-644
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• 1996

Geomaterials such as soil and rock are composed of discrete elements of microstructures with different grains and microcracks. The studies of these microstructures are of increasing interest in geophysics and geotechnical engineering relating to underground space development We first show experimental results undertaken for direct observation of microcrack initiation and propagation by using a newly developed experimental system, and next a homogenization method for treating a viscoelastic behavior of a polycrystalline rock.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.81-89
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• 2021

Uniaxial compression tests were conducted on sandstone-CGFB composite samples with different interface angles, and their strength, acoustic emission (AE), and failure characteristics were investigated. Three macro-failure patterns were identified: the splitting failure accompanied by local spalling failure in CGFB (Type-I), the mixed failure with small sliding failure along with the interface and Type-I failure (Type-II), and the sliding failure along with the interface (Type-III). With an increase of interface angle β measured horizontally, the macro-failure pattern changed from Type-I to Type-II, and then to Type-III, and the uniaxial compressive strength and elastic modulus generally decreased. Due to the small sliding failure along with the interface in the composite sample with β of 45°, AE events underwent fluctuations in peak values at the later post-peak failure stage. The composite samples with β of 60° occurred Type-III failure before the completion of initial compaction stage, and the post-peak stress-time curve initially exhibited a slow decrease, followed by a steep linear drop with peaks in AE events.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.287-295
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• 1998

Limit equilibrium method is widely used for the stability analysis of soil slopes. In jointed rock slopes however, the failure of the slope is largely dependent upon the strength and deformability of the joints in the rock mass and quite often failure occurs along the joints. This paper describes the use of ubiquitous joint model for the stability analysis of the jointed rock slopes. This model is essentially an anisotropic elasto-plastic model and can simulate two sets of joint in arbitrary orientations. Validation of the developed with the factor of safety equal to unity was selected when the shape of the failure plane is assumed log spiral. Then the factor of safety of the rock slope having two perpendicular joint sets was calculated while rotating joint orientations. Rusults were compared with limit equilibrium solutions on soil slopes having equivalent soil properties when plane sliding was assumed. Developed model predicted the factor of safety of jointed rock slope in a reasonable accuracy when joint spacing is sufficiently small.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.16 no.4 s.63
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• pp.334-346
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• 2006

The discrete element code in 2-D, PFC2D, has been used as a tool to simulate various phenomena in rock mechanics and rock engineering. However, the code has an disadvantage that procedure to determine micro-parameters, namely properties of particles and contacts is repetitive and time-consuming. In this study, we analyzed the effect of micro-parameters(for generation of a contact-bonded model) on macro-properties(that were measured numerically by uniaxial compressive test). Based on the analysis, also, the time-saving and reliable method was suggested to determine a complete set of micro-parameters. In order to verify the suggested method, numerical specimens were generated in PFC2D for 10 different rock types at home and abroad. By the two trials for each specimen, in the result, the Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio and uniaxial compressive strength could be reproduced with being in relative error by about 5% to the values obtained by laboratory tests.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.76 no.2
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• pp.153-162
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• 2020

Aiming at the mechanical and structural characteristics of the contact zone composite rock, the shear tests and numerical studies were carried out. The effects of the differences in mechanical properties of different materials and the normal stress on shear properties of contact zone composite samples were analyzed from a macro-meso level. The results show that the composite samples have high shear strength, and the interface of different materials has strong adhesion. The differences in mechanical properties of materials weakens the shear strength and increase the shear brittleness of the sample, while normal stress will inhibit these effect. Under low/high normal stress, the sample show two failure modes, at the meso-damage level: elastic-shearing-frictional sliding and elastic-extrusion wear. This is mainly controlled by the contact and friction state of the material after damage. The secondary failure of undulating structure under normal-shear stress is the nature of extrusion wear, which is positively correlated to the normal stress and the degree of difference in mechanical properties of different materials. The increase of the mechanical difference of the sample will enhance the shear brittleness under lower normal stress and the shear interaction under higher normal stress.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.14 no.4 s.41
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• pp.461-468
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• 2004

In order to characterize hydraulic property dependant on join roughness in rock mass, this study computed permeability coefficients on each range of joint roughness coefficient (JRC) suggested by Barton(1976). For a quantitative analysis of roughness components spectral analysis using the fast fourier transform was performed to select effective frequencies on each PC range. The results of spectral analyses show that low ranges of the JRC are mainly composed of low frequency domain, while high ranges of the JRC have dominant components at high frequency domain. The inverse Fourier transform made it possible to generate joint models of each JRC range using the effective frequencies of roughness spectrum. The homogenization analysis was applied to calculate permeability coefficient at homogeneous microscale, and then, computes a homogenized permeability coefficient (C-permeability coefficient) at macro scale. Therefore, it is possible to analyze accurate characteristics of permeability reflected with local effect of facture geometry. According to the calculation results, permeability coefficients were distributed between $10^{-3}m/sec\;and\;10^{-4}/sec$. In cases of sheared joint models permeability coefficients were plotted between $10^{-4}m/sec\;and\;10^{-5}/sec$, showing irregular distribution of permeability coefficients on each IRC range. The differences of permeability coefficients for the same aperture models or for the sheared joint models indicate that changes of roughness pattern influence on permeability coefficients. Therefore, the effect of joint roughness should be considered to characterize hydraulic properties in rock joints.