PFC软件在建材矿山溜井落矿方面的模拟应用探讨

利用Itasca PFC(Particle Flow Code)软件对建材矿山的矿石溜井放矿过程进行模拟,通过对溜井内矿石运动模拟具体过程的详细分析,总结了矿石在溜井内的运动规律及其对井壁的冲击位置。通过模拟,优化溜井设计,提高溜井使用的安全性,减少对井壁的冲击损伤。并对利用PFC软件进行此类模拟的优势进行了探讨。

Numerical investigation on permeability evolution behavior of rock by an improved flow-coupling algorithm in particle flow code

Permeability is a vital property of rock mass, which is highly affected by tectonic stress and human engineering activities. A comprehensive monitoring of pore pressure and flow rate distributions inside the rock mass is very important to elucidate the permeability evolution mechanisms, which is difficult to realize in laboratory, but easy to be achieved in numerical simulations. Therefore, the particle flow code （PFC）, a discrete element method, is used to simulate permeability behaviors of rock materials in this study. Owe to the limitation of the existed solid-fluid coupling algorithm in PFC, an improved flow-coupling algorithm is presented to better reflect the preferential flow in rock fractures. The comparative analysis is conducted between original and improved algorithm when simulating rock permeability evolution during triaxial compression, showing that the improved algorithm can better describe the experimental phenomenon. Furthermore, the evolution of pore pressure and flow rate distribution during the flow process are analyzed by using the improved algorithm. It is concluded that during the steady flow process in the fractured specimen, the pore pressure and flow rate both prefer transmitting through the fractures rather than rock matrix. Based on the results, fractures are divided into the following three types： I） fractures link to both the inlet and outlet, II） fractures only link to the inlet, and III） fractures only link to the outlet. The type I fracture is always the preferential propagating path for both the pore pressure and flow rate. For type II fractures, the pore pressure increases and then becomes steady. However, the flow rate increases first and begins to decrease after the flow reaches the stop end of the fracture and finally vanishes. There is no obvious pore pressure or flow rate concentration within type III fractures.

Heterogeneities of grain boundary contact for simulation of laboratoryscale mechanical behavior of granitic rocks

From a practical point of view,grain structure heterogeneities are key parameters that control the rock response and still remains a challenge to incorporate in a quantitative manner.One of the less discussed topics in the context of the grain-based model(GBM)in the particle flow code(PFC)is the contact heterogeneities and the appropriate contact model to mimic the grain boundary behavior.Generally,the smooth joint(SJ)model and linear parallel bond(LPB)model are used to simulate the grain boundary behavior.However,the literature does not document the suitability of different models for specific problems.Another challenge in implementing GBM in PFC is that only a single bonding parameter is used at the grain boundaries.The aim of this study is to investigate the responses of a laboratory-scale specimen with SJ and LPB models,considering grain boundary heterogeneous and homogeneous contact parameters.Uniaxial and biaxial compression tests are performed to calibrate the response of Creighton granite.The stressestrain curves,volumetric dilation,inter-crack(crack in the grain boundary),and intra-crack(crack within the grain)development,and failure patterns associated with different contact models are examined.It was found that both the SJ and LPB models can reproduce the pre-peak behavior observed for a granitic rock type.However,the LPB model is unable to reproduce the post-peak behavior.Due to the large interlocking effect originating from the balls in contact and the ball size in the LPB model,local dilation is induced at the grain boundaries.This overestimates the volumetric dilation and residual shear strength.The LPB model tends to result in discontinuous inter-cracks and stress localization in the rock specimen,resulting in fine fragments at the rock surface during failure.

Quantitative determination of PFC3D microscopic parameters

It is important to calibrate micro-parameters for applying partied flow code(PFC)to study mechanical characteristics and failure mechanism of rock materials.Uniform design method is firstly adopted to determine the microscopic parameters of parallel-bonded particle model for three-dimensional discrete element particle flow code(PFC3D).Variation ranges of microscopic of the microscopic parameters are created by analyzing the effects of microscopic parameters on macroscopic parameters(elastic modulus E,Poisson ratio v,uniaxial compressive strengthσc,and ratio of crack initial stress to uniaxial compressive strengthσci/σc)in order to obtain the actual uniform design talbe.The calculation equations of the microscopic and macroscopic parameters of rock materials can be established by the actual uniform design table and the regression analysis and thus the PFC3D microscopic parameters can be quantitatively determined.The PFC3D simulated results of the intact and pre-cracked rock specimens under uniaxial and triaxial compressions(including the macroscopic mechanical parameters,stress−strain curves and failure process)are in good agreement with experimental results,which can prove the validity of the calculation equations of microscopic and macroscopic parameters.

Shear mechanical properties and energy evolution of rock-like samples containing multiple combinations of non-persistent joints

Discontinuities are often considered as important factors responsible for the instability caused by shear failure in engineering rock mass,and energy-driven instability is the root cause of rock failure.However,few studies focus on the energy evolution during the failure process using a three-dimensional(3D)numerical model.In this study,a series of laboratory direct shear tests on rock-like samples is numer-ically simulated using bonded particle models(BPMs)with multiple combinations of discontinuous in the particle flow code(PFC3D),in which the location and size of the particles conform to the uniform distribution.The effects of joint row number and inclination on the stress-strain characteristics and failure mode of rock were studied from the perspective of microcrack growth and energy evolution.The results showed that,when the number of joint rows Nr>1,the shear failure region does not change with the increase of Nr for the type B(2-columnn multiple-row at center)and the type C(2-column multiple-row at edge)as compared to the type A(1-column multiple-row at center)joint models.Notably,joints significantly increase the post-peak energy dissipation but have little effect on the proportion of energy before the peak.Friction consumes most of the energy while kinetic energy accounts for less than 1%of total energy during the shear process.Peak elastic strain energy follows the variation trend of peak shear displacement.The development and accumulation of microcracks directly affect the energy dissipation,and there is a significant linear relationship between the cumulative number of critical microcracks and the critical dissipated energy at the failure,when the dip direction of joints is opposite to the shear direction,more microcracks will be accumulated at the peak time,resulting in more energy dissipation.The results contribute to deeply understanding the shear failure process of non-persistent jointed mass.

True triaxial hydraulic fracturing test and numerical simulation of limestone

Hydraulic fracturing,as a key technology of deep energy exploitation,accelerates the rapid development of the modern petroleum industry.To study the mechanisms of hydraulic fracture propagation and rock failure mode of the vertical well hydraulic fracturing,the true triaxial hydraulic fracturing test and numerical simulation are carried out,and the influence of the principal stress difference,water injection displacement,perforation angle and natural fracture on fracture propagation is analyzed.The results show that the fracture propagation mode of limestone is mainly divided into two types:the single vertical fracture and the transverse-longitudinal crossed complex fracture.Under high displacement,the fracturing pressure is larger,and the secondary fracture is more likely to occur,while variable displacement loading is more likely to induce fracture network.Meanwhile,the amplitude of acoustic emission(AE)waveform of limestone during fracturing is between 0.01 and 0.02 mV,and the main frequency is maintained in the range of 230−300 kHz.When perforation angleθ=45°,it is easy to produce the T-type fracture that connects with the natural fracture,while X-type cracks are generated whenθ=30°.The results can be used as a reference for further study on the mechanism of limestone hydraulic fracturing.

Calibration and uniqueness analysis of microparameters for DEM cohesive granular material

The differential evolution(DE)algorithm was deployed to calibrate microparameters of the DEM cohesive granular material.4 macroparameters,namely,uniaxial compressive strength,direct tensile strength,Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio,can be calibrated to high accuracy.The best calibration accuracy could reach the sum of relative errors RE_(sum)<0.1%.Most calibrations can be achieved with RE_(sum)<5%within hours or RE_(sum)<1%within 2 days.Based on the calibrated results,microparameters uniqueness analysis was carried out to reveal the correlation between microparameters and the macroscopic mechanical behaviour of material:(1)microparameters effective modulus,tensile strength and normal-to-shear stiffness ratio control the elastic behaviour and stable crack growth,(2)microparameters cohesion and friction angles present a negative linear correlation that controls the axial strain and lateral strain prior to the peak stress,and(3)microparameters friction coefficient controls shear crack friction and slip mainly refers to the unstable crack behaviour.Consideration of more macroparameters to regulate the material mechanical behaviour that is dominated by shear crack and slip motion is highlighted for future study.The DE calibration method is expected to serve as an alternative method to calibrate the DEM cohesive granular material to its peak strength.

Simulation Study of Foundations Reinforced with Horizontal-Vertical Inclusions Using Particle Flow Code

A two-dimensionM discrete element code, particle flow code （PFC2D）, is employed to investigate foundations reinforced with horizontal-vertical （H-V） inclusions. The initial states and loading processes of both unreinforced and H-V reinforced foundations are simulated by PFC2D method. The interface between particles and reinforcements, and the reinforcement mechanism of the H-V reinforced foundations are studied through stress distribution graphs, displacement vector graphs and contact force graphs. The simulation results demonstrate that the vertical elements of the H-V reinforcement keep the particles from being displaced under the applied load. The H-V reinforcement can distribute the load uniformly over a wider area, thereby improving the bearing capacity of soil foundation.