A review of discrete modeling techniques for fracturing processes in discontinuous rock masses

The goal of this review paper is to provide a summary of selected discrete element and hybrid finitediscrete element modeling techniques that have emerged in the field of rock mechanics as simulation tools for fracturing processes in rocks and rock masses. The fundamental principles of each computer code are illustrated with particular emphasis on the approach specifically adopted to simulate fracture nucleation and propagation and to account for the presence of rock mass discontinuities. This description is accompanied by a brief review of application studies focusing on laboratory-scale models of rock failure processes and on the simulation of damage development around underground excavations.

Numerical evaluation of strength and deformability of fractured rocks

Knowledge of the strength and deformability of fractured rocks is important for design, construction and stability evaluation of slopes, foundations and underground excavations in civil and mining engineering. However, laboratory tests of intact rock samples cannot provide information about the strength and deformation behaviors of fractured rock masses that include many fractures of varying sizes, orientations and locations. On the other hand, large-scale in situ tests of fractured rock masses are economically costly and often not practical in reality at present. Therefore, numerical modeling becomes necessary. Numerical predicting using discrete element methods(DEM) is a suitable approach for such modeling because of their advantages of explicit representations of both fractures system geometry and their constitutive behaviors of fractures, besides that of intact rock matrix. In this study, to generically determine the compressive strength of fractured rock masses, a series of numerical experiments were performed on two-dimensional discrete fracture network models based on the realistic geometrical and mechanical data of fracture systems from feld mapping. We used the UDEC code and a numerical servo-controlled program for controlling the progressive compressive loading process to avoid sudden violent failure of the models. The two loading conditions applied are similar to the standard laboratory testing for intact rock samples in order to check possible differences caused by such loading conditions. Numerical results show that the strength of fractured rocks increases with the increasing confning pressure, and that deformation behavior of fractured rocks follows elasto-plastic model with a trend of strain hardening. The stresses and strains obtained from these numerical experiments were used to ft the well-known Mohr-Coulomb(MC) and Hoek-Brown(H-B) failure criteria, represented by equivalent material properties defning these two criteria. The results show that both criteria can provide fair estimates of the compressive strengths for all tested numerical models. Parameters of the elastic deformability of fractured models during elastic deformation stages were also evaluated, and represented as equivalent Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio as functions of lateral confning pressure. It is the frst time that such systematic numerical predicting for strength of fractured rocks was performed considering different loading conditions, with important fndings for different behaviors of fractured rock masses, compared with testing intact rock samples under similar loading conditions.

Anisotropy of strength and deformability of fractured rocks

Anisotropy of the strength and deformation behaviors of fractured rock masses is a crucial issue for design and stability assessments of rock engineering structures, due mainly to the non-uniform and non- regular geometries of the fracture systems. However, no adequate efforts have been made to study this issue due to the current practical impossibility of laboratory tests with samples of large volumes con- taining many fractures, and the difficulty for controlling reliable initial and boundary conditions for large-scale in situ tests. Therefore, a reliable numerical predicting approach for evaluating anisotropy of fractured rock masses is needed. The objective of this study is to systematically investigate anisotropy of strength and deformability of fractured rocks, which has not been conducted in the past, using a nu- merical modeling method. A series of realistic two-dimensional （2D） discrete fracture network （DFN） models were established based on site investigation data, which were then loaded in different directions, using the code UDEC of discrete element method （DEM）, with changing confining pressures. Numerical results show that strength envelopes and elastic deformability parameters of tested numerical models are significantly anisotropic, and vary with changing axial loading and confining pressures. The results indicate that for design and safety assessments of rock engineering projects, the directional variations of strength and deformability of the fractured rock mass concerned must be treated properly with respect to the directions of in situ stresses. Traditional practice for simply positioning axial orientation of tunnels in association with principal stress directions only may not be adequate for safety requirements. Outstanding issues of the present study and su^zestions for future study are also oresented.