Creep constitutive model considering nonlinear creep degradation of fractured rock

Stability analysis of underground constructions requires a model study of rock masses’ long-term performance. Creep tests under different stress conditions was conducted on intact granite and granite samples fractured at 30° and 45° angles. The experimental results indicate that the steady creep strain rates of intact and fractured rock present an exponential increase trend with the increase of stress level. A nonlinear creep model is developed based on the experimental results, in which the initial damage caused by fracture together with the damage caused by constant load have been taken into consideration. The fitting analysis results indicated that the model proposed is more accurate at identifying the full creep regions in fractured granite, especially the accelerated stage of creep deformation. The least-square fit error of the proposed creep model is significantly lower than that of Nishihara model by almost an order of magnitude. An analysis of the effects of elastic modulus, viscosity coefficient, and damage factors on fractured rock strain rate and creep strain is conducted. If no consideration is given to the effects of the damage, the proposed nonlinear creep model can degenerate into to the classical Nishihara model.

Numerical manifold method for thermo-mechanical coupling simulation of fractured rock mass

As a calculation method based on the Galerkin variation,the numerical manifold method(NMM)adopts a double covering system,which can easily deal with discontinuous deformation problems and has a high calculation accuracy.Aiming at the thermo-mechanical(TM)coupling problem of fractured rock masses,this study uses the NMM to simulate the processes of crack initiation and propagation in a rock mass under the influence of temperature field,deduces related system equations,and proposes a penalty function method to deal with boundary conditions.Numerical examples are employed to confirm the effectiveness and high accuracy of this method.By the thermal stress analysis of a thick-walled cylinder(TWC),the simulation of cracking in the TWC under heating and cooling conditions,and the simulation of thermal cracking of the SwedishÄspöPillar Stability Experiment(APSE)rock column,the thermal stress,and TM coupling are obtained.The numerical simulation results are in good agreement with the test data and other numerical results,thus verifying the effectiveness of the NMM in dealing with thermal stress and crack propagation problems of fractured rock masses.

A method to interpret fracture aperture of rock slope using adaptive shape and unmanned aerial vehicle multi-angle nap-of-the-object photogrammetry

The aperture of natural rock fractures significantly affects the deformation and strength properties of rock masses,as well as the hydrodynamic properties of fractured rock masses.The conventional measurement methods are inadequate for collecting data on high-steep rock slopes in complex mountainous regions.This study establishes a high-resolution three-dimensional model of a rock slope using unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)multi-angle nap-of-the-object photogrammetry to obtain edge feature points of fractures.Fracture opening morphology is characterized using coordinate projection and transformation.Fracture central axis is determined using vertical measuring lines,allowing for the interpretation of aperture of adaptive fracture shape.The feasibility and reliability of the new method are verified at a construction site of a railway in southeast Tibet,China.The study shows that the fracture aperture has a significant interval effect and size effect.The optimal sampling length for fractures is approximately 0.5e1 m,and the optimal aperture interpretation results can be achieved when the measuring line spacing is 1%of the sampling length.Tensile fractures in the study area generally have larger apertures than shear fractures,and their tendency to increase with slope height is also greater than that of shear fractures.The aperture of tensile fractures is generally positively correlated with their trace length,while the correlation between the aperture of shear fractures and their trace length appears to be weak.Fractures of different orientations exhibit certain differences in their distribution of aperture,but generally follow the forms of normal,log-normal,and gamma distributions.This study provides essential data support for rock and slope stability evaluation,which is of significant practical importance.

Discontinuity development patterns and the challenges for 3D discrete fracture network modeling on complicated exposed rock surfaces

Natural slopes usually display complicated exposed rock surfaces that are characterized by complex and substantial terrain undulation and ubiquitous undesirable phenomena such as vegetation cover and rockfalls.This study presents a systematic outcrop research of fracture pattern variations in a complicated rock slope,and the qualitative and quantitative study of the complex phenomena impact on threedimensional(3D)discrete fracture network(DFN)modeling.As the studies of the outcrop fracture pattern have been so far focused on local variations,thus,we put forward a statistical analysis of global variations.The entire outcrop is partitioned into several subzones,and the subzone-scale variability of fracture geometric properties is analyzed(including the orientation,the density,and the trace length).The results reveal significant variations in fracture characteristics(such as the concentrative degree,the average orientation,the density,and the trace length)among different subzones.Moreover,the density of fracture sets,which is approximately parallel to the slope surface,exhibits a notably higher value compared to other fracture sets across all subzones.To improve the accuracy of the DFN modeling,the effects of three common phenomena resulting from vegetation and rockfalls are qualitatively analyzed and the corresponding quantitative data processing solutions are proposed.Subsequently,the 3D fracture geometric parameters are determined for different areas of the high-steep rock slope in terms of the subzone dimensions.The results show significant variations in the same set of 3D fracture parameters across different regions with density differing by up to tenfold and mean trace length exhibiting differences of 3e4 times.The study results present precise geological structural information,improve modeling accuracy,and provide practical solutions for addressing complex outcrop issues.

Study of hydro-mechanical behaviours of rough rock fracture with shear dilatancy and asperities using shear-flow model

The geometric properties of fracture surfaces significantly influence shear-seepage in rock fractures,introducing complexities to fracture modelling.The present study focuses on the hydro-mechanical behaviours of rough rock fractures during shear-seepage processes to reveal how dilatancy and fracture asperities affect these phenomena.To achieve this,an improved shear-flow model(SFM)is proposed with the incorporation of dilatancy effect and asperities.In particular,shear dilatancy is accounted for in both the elastic and plastic stages,in contrast to some existing models that only consider it in the elastic stage.Depending on the computation approaches for the peak dilatancy angle,three different versions of the SFM are derived based on Mohr-Coulomb,joint roughness coefficient-joint compressive strength(JRC-JCS),and Grasselli’s theories.Notably,this is a new attempt that utilizes Grasselli’s model in shearseepage analysis.An advanced parameter optimization method is introduced to accurately determine model parameters,addressing the issue of local optima inherent in some conventional methods.Then,model performance is evaluated against existing experimental results.The findings demonstrate that the SFM effectively reproduces the shear-seepage characteristics of rock fracture across a wide range of stress levels.Further sensitivity analysis reveals how dilatancy and asperity affect hydraulic properties.The relation between hydro-mechanical properties(dilatancy displacement and hydraulic conductivity)and asperity parameters is analysed.Several profound understandings of the shear-seepage process are obtained by exploring the phenomenon under various conditions.

Identifying the real fracture hidden in rock microcrack zone by acoustic emission energy

Identifying the real fracture of rock hidden in acoustic emission(AE)source clusters(AE-depicted microcrack zone)remains challenging and crucial.Here we revealed the AE energy(representing dissipated energy)distribution rule in the rock microcrack zone and proposed an AE-energy-based method for identifying the real fracture.(1)A set of fracture experiments were performed on granite using wedgeloading,and the fracture process was detected and recorded by AE.The microcrack zone associated with the energy dissipation was characterized by AE sources and energy distribution,utilizing our selfdeveloped AE analysis program(RockAE).(2)The accumulated AE energy,an index representing energy dissipation,across the AE-depicted microcrack zone followed the normal distribution model(the mean and variance relate to the real fracture path and the microcrack zone width).This result implies that the nucleation and coalescence of massive cracks(i.e.,real fracture generation process)are supposed to follow a normal distribution.(3)Then,we obtained the real fracture extension path by joining the peak positions of the AE energy normal distribution curve at different cross-sections of the microcrack zone.Consequently,we distinguished between the microcrack zone and the concealed real fracture within it.The deviation was validated as slight as 1–3 mm.

Borehole stability in naturally fractured rocks with drilling mud intrusion and associated fracture strength weakening:A coupled DFN-DEM approach

Borehole instability in naturally fractured rocks poses significant challenges to drilling.Drilling mud invades the surrounding formations through natural fractures under the difference between the wellbore pressure(P w)and pore pressure(P p)during drilling,which may cause wellbore instability.However,the weakening of fracture strength due to mud intrusion is not considered in most existing borehole stability analyses,which may yield significant errors and misleading predictions.In addition,only limited factors were analyzed,and the fracture distribution was oversimplified.In this paper,the impacts of mud intrusion and associated fracture strength weakening on borehole stability in fractured rocks under both isotropic and anisotropic stress states are investigated using a coupled DEM(distinct element method)and DFN(discrete fracture network)method.It provides estimates of the effect of fracture strength weakening,wellbore pressure,in situ stresses,and sealing efficiency on borehole stability.The results show that mud intrusion and weakening of fracture strength can damage the borehole.This is demonstrated by the large displacement around the borehole,shear displacement on natural fractures,and the generation of fracture at shear limit.Mud intrusion reduces the shear strength of the fracture surface and leads to shear failure,which explains that the increase in mud weight may worsen borehole stability during overbalanced drilling in fractured formations.A higher in situ stress anisotropy exerts a significant influence on the mechanism of shear failure distribution around the wellbore.Moreover,the effect of sealing natural fractures on maintaining borehole stability is verified in this study,and the increase in sealing efficiency reduces the radial invasion distance of drilling mud.This study provides a directly quantitative prediction method of borehole instability in naturally fractured formations,which can consider the discrete fracture network,mud intrusion,and associated weakening of fracture strength.The information provided by the numerical approach(e.g.displacement around the borehole,shear displacement on fracture,and fracture at shear limit)is helpful for managing wellbore stability and designing wellbore-strengthening operations.

High-resolution photogrammetry to measure physical aperture of two separated rock fracture surfaces

Photogrammetry,reconstructing three-dimensional(3D)models from overlapping two-dimensional(2D)photos,finds application in rock mechanics and rock engineering to extract geometrical details of reconstructed objects,for example rock fractures.Fracture properties are important for determining the mechanical stability,permeability,strength,and shear behavior of the rock mass.Photogrammetry can be used to reconstruct detailed 3D models of two separated rock fracture surfaces to characterize fracture roughness and physical aperture,which controls the fluid flow,hydromechanical and shear behavior of the rock mass.This research aimed to determine the optimal number of scale bars required to produce high-precision 3D models of a fracture surface.A workflow has been developed to define the physical aperture of a fracture using photogrammetry.Three blocks of Kuru granite(25 cm×25 cm×10 cm)with an artificially induced fracture,were investigated.For scaling 3D models,321 markers were used as ground control points(GCPs)with predefined distances on each block.When the samples were wellmatched in their original positions,the entire block was photographed.Coordinate data of the GCPs were extracted from the 3D model of the blocks.Each half was surveyed separately and georeferenced by GCPs and merged into the same coordinate system.Two fracture surfaces were extracted from the 3D models and the vertical distance between the two surfaces was digitally calculated as physical aperture.Accuracy assessment of the photogrammetric reconstruction showed a 20-30 mm digital control distance accuracy when compared to known distances defined between markers.To attain this accuracy,the study found that at least 200 scale bars were required.Furthermore,photogrammetry was employed to measure changes in aperture under normal stresses.The results obtained from this approach were found to be in good agreement with those obtained using linear variable displacement transducers(LVDTs),with differences ranging from 1 mm to 8μm.

Sub-Homogeneous Peridynamic Model for Fracture and Failure Analysis of Roadway Surrounding Rock

The surrounding rock of roadways exhibits intricate characteristics of discontinuity and heterogeneity.To address these complexities,this study employs non-local Peridynamics(PD)theory and reconstructs the kernel function to represent accurately the spatial decline of long-range force.Additionally,modifications to the traditional bondbased PD model are made.By considering the micro-structure of coal-rock materials within a uniform discrete model,heterogeneity characterized by bond random pre-breaking is introduced.This approach facilitates the proposal of a novel model capable of handling the random distribution characteristics of material heterogeneity,rendering the PD model suitable for analyzing the deformation and failure of heterogeneous layered coal-rock mass structures.The established numerical model and simulation method,termed the sub-homogeneous PD model,not only incorporates the support effect but also captures accurately the random heterogeneous micro-structure of roadway surrounding rock.The simulation results obtained using this model show good agreement with field measurements from the Fucun coal mine,effectively validating the model’s capability in accurately reproducing the deformation and failure mode of surrounding rock under bolt-supported(anchor cable).The proposed subhomogeneous PD model presents a valuable and effective simulation tool for studying the deformation and failure of roadway surrounding rock in coal mines,offering new insights and potential advancements.

A new elastoplastic model for bolt-grouted fractured rock

Complexities in mechanical behaviours of rock masses mainly stem from inherent discontinuities,which calls for advanced bolt-grouting techniques for stability enhancement.Understanding the mechanical properties of bolt-grouted fractured rock mass(BGFR)and developing accurate prediction methods are crucial to optimize the BGFR support strategies.This paper establishes a new elastoplastic(E-P)model based on the orthotropic and the Mohr-Coulomb(M-C)plastic-yielding criteria.The elastic parameters of the model were derived through a meso-mechanical analysis of composite materials mechanics(CMM).Laboratory BGFR specimens were prepared and uniaxial compression test and variable-angle shear test considering different bolt arrangements were carried out to obtain the mechanical parameters of the specimens.Results showed that the anisotropy of BGFR mainly depends on the relative volume content of each component material in a certain direction.Moreover,the mechanical parameters deduced from the theory of composite materials which consider the short fibre effect are shown to be in good agreement with those determined by laboratory experiments,and the variation rules maintained good consistency.Last,a case study of a real tunnel project is provided to highlight the effectiveness,validity and robustness of the developed E-P model in prediction of stresses and deformations.

Identifying flow regime in the aquifer of fractured rock system in Germi Chai Basin,Iran

Considering the importance of fractured rock aquifers in the hydrogeologic process,this research aimed to analyze the flow regime,internal degree of karstification,and estimate storage volume in fractured rock aquifers of the Germi Chai Basin in northwest Iran,which is attributed to its active tectonics,erosion,and the lithological diversity.Given the geological setting,the hypothesis is that this basin is characterized by a high degree of karstification and diffuse or intermediate flow regime leading to variation in discharge flow rate.The hydrodynamic and hadrochemical analysis was conducted on 9 well distributed springs across the basin from 2019 to 2020.The maximum flow rate in most of the springs appeared in the early wet season despite their different levels of fluctuations on the monthly discharge time series.Analyzing the spring recession curve form revealed an aquifer containing multiple micro-regimes withαrecession coefficients and a degree of karstification ranging between 0.001 to 0.06 and 0.55 to 2.61,respectively.These findings indicated a dominant diffuse and intermediate flow system resulting from the development of a high density of fractures in this area.The electrical conductivity of the spring changes inversely proportional to the change in flow discharge,indicating the reasonable hydrological response of the aquifer to rainfall events.Hydrograph analysis revealed that the delay time of spring discharge after rainfall events mostly varies between 10 to 30 days.The total dynamic storage volume of the spring for a given period(2019-2020)was estimated to be approximately 1324 million cubic meters reflecting the long-term drainage potential and high perdurability of dynamic storage.Estimating the maximum and minimum ratio revealed that the springs recharging system in Germi Chai Basin comes under the slow aquifers category.This finding provides valuable insight into the hydrogeological properties of fractured rock aquifers contributing to effective water management strategy.

3D DEM simulation of hard rock fracture in deep tunnel excavation induced by changes in principal stress magnitude and orientation

To achieve the loading of the stress path of hard rock,the spherical discrete element model(DEM)and the new flexible membrane technology were utilized to realize the transient loading of three principal stresses with arbitrary magnitudes and orientations.Furthermore,based on the deep tunnel of China Jinping Underground Laboratory II(CJPL-II),the deformation and fracture evolution characteristics of deep hard rock induced by excavation stress path were analyzed,and the mechanisms of transient loading-unloading and stress rotation-induced fractures were revealed from a mesoscopic perspective.The results indicated that the stressestrain curve exhibits different trends and degrees of sudden changes when subjected to transient changes in principal stress,accompanied by sudden changes in strain rate.Stress rotation induces spatially directional deformation,resulting in fractures of different degrees and orientations,and increasing the degree of deformation anisotropy.The correlation between the degree of induced fracture and the unloading magnitude of minimum principal stress,as well as its initial level is significant and positive.The process of mechanical response during transient unloading exhibits clear nonlinearity and directivity.After transient unloading,both the minimum principal stress and minimum principal strain rate decrease sharply and then tend to stabilize.This occurs from the edge to the interior and from the direction of the minimum principal stress to the direction of the maximum principal stress on theε1-ε3 plane.Transient unloading will induce a tensile stress wave.The ability to induce fractures due to changes in principal stress magnitude,orientation and rotation paths gradually increases.The analysis indicates a positive correlation between the abrupt change amplitude of strain rate and the maximum unloading magnitude,which is determined by the magnitude and rotation of principal stress.A high tensile strain rate is more likely to induce fractures under low minimum principal stress.

Multiscale modeling of gas-induced fracturing in anisotropic clayey rocks

In the context of repositories for nuclear waste,understanding the behavior of gas migration through clayey rocks with inherent anisotropy is crucial for assessing the safety of geological disposal facilities.The primary mechanism for gas breakthrough is the opening of micro-fractures due to high gas pressure.This occurs at gas pressures lower than the combined strength of the rock and its minimum principal stress under external loading conditions.To investigate the mechanism of microscale mode-I ruptures,it is essential to incorporate a multiscale approach that includes subcritical microcracks in the modeling framework.In this contribution,we derive the model from microstructures that contain periodically distributed microcracks within a porous material.The damage evolution law is coupled with the macroscopic poroelastic system by employing the asymptotic homogenization method and considering the inherent hydro-mechanical(HM)anisotropy at the microscale.The resulting permeability change induced by fracture opening is implicitly integrated into the gas flow equation.Verification examples are presented to validate the developed model step by step.An analysis of local macroscopic response is undertaken to underscore the influence of factors such as strain rate,initial damage,and applied stress,on the gas migration process.Numerical examples of direct tension tests are used to demonstrate the model’s efficacy in describing localized failure characteristics.Finally,the simulation results for preferential gas flow reveal the robustness of the two-scale model in explicitly depicting gas-induced fracturing in anisotropic clayey rocks.The model successfully captures the common behaviors observed in laboratory experiments,such as a sudden drop in gas injection pressure,rapid build-up of downstream gas pressure,and steady-state gas flow following gas breakthrough.

In-situ observations of damage-fracture evolution in surrounding rock upon unloading in 2400-m-deep tunnels

The damage-fracture evolution of deep rock mass has obvious particularity,which is revealed in 2400-mdeep tunnels by field tests.The evolution of the excavation damaged zone depth is consistent with that of the fractured zone depth.The ratio of the excavation damaged zone depth to the excavation fractured zone depth is greater than 2.0 in a rock mass with both high strength and good integrity,but less than1.5 in a rock mass with lower strength or poor integrity.Zonal disintegration in a rock mass with high strength and fair integrity is more likely to occur when it contains more than two groups of primary fractures in damaged zones.Fractures develop outward in zonal disintegration but are totally different from the single-zone fracture,in which the fractures develop inward,and it is the starting position of the fractured zone when the excavation surface of the middle pilot is 7–9 m close to the pre-set borehole and it stops after the excavation surface of the baseplate is 11–14 m away.The most intense evolution occurs around 2–4 m from the pre-set borehole in the sidewall expansion stage.The research results provide a reference for the monitoring scheme and support design of CJPL-Ⅲin its future construction.

Numerical analysis of hydraulic fracture propagation in deep shale reservoir with different injection strategies

Deep shale reservoirs are characterized by elevated breakdown pressures,diminished fracture complexity,and reduced modified volumes compared to medium and shallow reservoirs.Therefore,it is urgent to investigate particular injection strategies that can optimize breakdown pressure and fracturing efficiency to address the increasing demands for deep shale reservoir stimulation.In this study,the efficiency of various stimulation strategies,including multi-cluster simultaneous fracturing,modified alternating fracturing,alternating shut-in fracturing,and cyclic alternating fracturing,was evaluated.Subsequently,the sensitivity of factors such as the cycle index,shut-in time,cluster spacing,and horizontal permeability was investigated.Additionally,the flow distribution effect within the wellbore was discussed.The results indicate that relative to multi-cluster simultaneous fracturing,modified alternating fracturing exhibits reduced susceptibility to the stress shadow effect,which results in earlier breakdown,extended hydraulic fracture lengths,and more consistent propagation despite an increase in breakdown pressure.The alternating shut-in fracturing benefits the increase of fracture length,which is closely related to the shut-in time.Furthermore,cyclic alternating fracturing markedly lowers breakdown pressure and contributes to uniform fracture propagation,in which the cycle count plays an important role.Modified alternating fracturing demonstrates insensitivity to variations in cluster spacing,whereas horizontal permeability is a critical factor affecting fracture length.The wellbore effect restrains the accumulation of pressure and flow near the perforation,delaying the initiation of hydraulic fractures.The simulation results can provide valuable numerical insights for optimizing injection strategies for deep shale hydraulic fracturing.

Prediction and critical transition mechanism for granite fracture:Insights from critical slowing down theory

Rock fracture warning is one of the significant challenges in rock mechanics.Many true triaxial and synchronous acoustic emission(AE)tests were conducted on granite samples.The investigation focused on the characteristics of AE signals preceding granite fracture,based on the critical slowing down(CSD)theory.The granite undergoes a transition from the stable phase to the fracture phase and exhibits a clear CSD phenomenon,characterized by a pronounced increase in variance and autocorrelation coefficient.The variance mutation points were found to be more identifiable and suitable as the primary criterion for predicting precursor information related to granite fracture,compared to the autocorrelation coefficient.It is noteworthy to emphasize that the CSD factor holds greater potential in elucidating the underlying mechanisms responsible for the critical transition of granite fracture,in comparison to the AE timing parameters.Furthermore,a novel multi-parameter collaborative prediction method for rock fracture was developed by comprehensively analyzing predictive information,including abnormal variation modes and the CSD factor of AE characteristic parameters.This method enhances the understanding and prediction of rock fracture-related geohazards.

Fracture network characterisation of the Balmuccia peridotite using drone-based photogrammetry,implications for active-seismic site survey for scientific drilling

The presence of discontinuities(e.g.faults,fractures,veins,layering)in crystalline rocks can be challenging for seismic interpretations because the wide range of their size,orientation,and intensity,which controls the mechanical properties of the rock and elastic wave propagation,resulting in equally varying seismic responses at different scales.The geometrical characterisation of adjacent outcrop discontinuity networks allows a better understanding of the nature of the subsurface rocks and aids seismic interpretation.In this study,we characterise the discontinuity network of the Balmuccia peridotite(BP)in the IvreaeVerbano Zone(IVZ),northwestern Italy.This geological body is the focus of the Drilling the Ivrea eVerbano zonE(DIVE),an international continental scientific drilling project,and two active seismic surveys,SEismic imaging of the Ivrea ZonE(SEIZE)and high-resolution SEIZE(Hi-SEIZE),which aim to resolve the subsurface structure of the DIVE drilling target through high-resolution seismic imaging.For fracture characterisation,we developed two drone-based digital outcrop models(DOMs)at two different resolutions(10^(-3)-10 m and 10^(-1)-10^(3)m),which allowed us to quantitatively characterise the orientation,size,and intensity of the main rock discontinuities.These properties affect the seismic velocity and consequently the interpretation of the seismic data.We found that(i)the outcropping BP discontinuity network is represented by three more sets of fractures with respect to those reported in the literature;(ii)the discontinuity sizes follow a power-law distribution,indicating similarity across scales,and(iii)discontinuity intensity is not uniformly distributed along the outcrop.Our results help to explain the seismic behaviour of the BP detected by the SEIZE survey,suggesting that the low P-wave velocities observed can be related to the discontinuity network,and provide the basic topological parameters(orientation,density,distribution,and aperture)of the fracture network unique to the BP.These,in turn,can be used for interpretation of the Hi-SEIZE seismic survey and forward modelling of the seismic response.

On the calibration and verification of Voronoi-based discontinuous deformation analysis for modeling rock fracture

Since its introduction,discontinuous deformation analysis(DDA)has been widely used in different areas of rock mechanics.By dividing large blocks into subblocks and introducing artificial joints,DDA can be applied to rock fracture simulation.However,parameter calibration,a fundamental issue in discontinuum methods,has not received enough attention in DDA.In this study,the parameter calibration of DDA for intact rock is carefully studied.To this end,a subblock DDA with Voronoi tessellation is presented first.Then,a modified contact constitutive law is introduced,in which the tensile and shear meso-strengths are modified to be independent of the bond lengths.This improvement can prevent the unjustified preferential failure of short edges.A method for imposing confining pressure is also introduced.Thereafter,sensitivity analysis is performed to investigate the influence of the calculated parameters and meso-parameters on the mechanical properties of modeled rock.Based on the sensitivity analysis,a unified calibration procedure is suggested for both cases with and without confining pressure.Finally,the calibration procedure is applied to two examples,including a biaxial compression test.The results show that the proposed Voronoi-based DDA can simulate rock fracture with and without confining pressure very well after careful parameter calibration.

Groundwater flow through fractured rocks and seepage control in geotechnical engineering: Theories and practices

Groundwater flow through fractured rocks has been recognized as an important issue in many geotechnical engineering practices.Several key aspects of fundamental mechanisms,numerical modeling and engineering applications of flow in fractured rocks are discussed.First,the microscopic mechanisms of fluid flow in fractured rocks,especially under the complex conditions of non-Darcian flow,multiphase flow,rock dissolution,and particle transport,have been revealed through a com-bined effort of visualized experiments and theoretical analysis.Then,laboratory and field methods of characterizing hydraulic properties(e.g.intrinsic permeability,inertial permeability,and unsaturated flow parameters)of fractured rocks in different flow regimes have been proposed.Subsequently,high-performance numerical simulation approaches for large-scale modeling of groundwater flow in frac-tured rocks and aquifers have been developed.Numerical procedures for optimization design of seepage control systems in various settings have also been proposed.Mechanisms of coupled hydro-mechanical processes and control of flow-induced deformation have been discussed.Finally,three case studies are presented to illustrate the applications of the improved theoretical understanding,characterization methods,modeling approaches,and seepage and deformation control strategies to geotechnical engi-neering projects.

Fracture behaviors of columnar jointed rock mass using interface mechanics theorem

For a special geological structure of columnar jointed rock mass(CJRM),its mechanical properties are strongly affected by the columnar joints.To describe the fracture behaviors of CJRM using the basic theories of interface mechanics for composite materials,the interface stresses of the vertical and horizontal joints,which are the two primary joints in the CJRM under triaxial compression,are studied,and their mathematical expressions are derived based on the superposition principle.Based on the obtained interface stresses of the vertical and horizontal joints in the CJRM,the crack initiation of the joint interface in the CJRM is studied using the maximum circumferential stress theory in fracture mechanics.Moreover,based on this investigation,the fracture behaviors of CJRM are analyzed.According to the results of similar material physical model tests for the CJRM,the theoretical study is verified.Finally,the influence of the mechanical parameters of the CJRM on the joint interface stress is discussed comprehensively.