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Numerical Modeling of Jointed Rock Under Compressive Loading Using X-ray Computerized Tomography

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Abstract

As jointed rocks consist of joints embedded within intact rock blocks, the presence and geometrical fabric of joints have a great influence on the mechanical behavior of rock. With consideration of the actual spatial shape of joints, a numerical model is proposed to investigate the fracture evolution mechanism of jointed rocks. In the proposed model, computerized tomography (CT) scanning is first used to capture the microstructure of a jointed sandstone specimen, which is artificially fabricated by loading the intact sample until the residual strength, and then digital image processing (DIP) techniques are applied to characterize the geometrical fabric of joints from the CT images. A simple vectorization method is used to convert the microstructure based on a cross-sectional image into a layer of 3-D vectorized microstructure and the overall 3-D model of the jointed sandstone including the real spatial shape of the joints is established by stacking the layers in a specific sequence. The 3-D model is then integrated into a well-established code [three-dimensional Rock Failure Process Analysis, (RFPA3D)]. Using the proposed model, a uniaxial compression test of the jointed sandstone is simulated. The results show that the presence of joints can produce tensile stress zones surrounding them, which result in the fracture of jointed rocks under a relatively small external load. In addition, the spatial shape of the joints has a great influence on the fracture process of jointed rocks.

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Acknowledgments

The present work is partially funded by the National Basic Research Program (“973 program”) of China (Grant No. 2013CB227902), the National Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51222401, 51174045, 51474046, and 41272344), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant Nos. N120401006, N110201001, and N120101001). This support is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education on Safe Mining of Deep Metal Mines, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, Liaoning, People’s Republic of China

    Qinglei Yu, Wancheng Zhu & Tianhong Yang

  2. Deep Earth Energy Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Building 60, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia

    Qinglei Yu, Shengqi Yang & P. G. Ranjith

  3. State Key Laboratory for Geomechanics and Deep Underground Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221008, People’s Republic of China

    Shengqi Yang

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  1. Qinglei Yu
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  2. Shengqi Yang
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  3. P. G. Ranjith
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  4. Wancheng Zhu
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  5. Tianhong Yang
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Correspondence to P. G. Ranjith.

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Yu, Q., Yang, S., Ranjith, P.G. et al. Numerical Modeling of Jointed Rock Under Compressive Loading Using X-ray Computerized Tomography. Rock Mech Rock Eng 49, 877–891 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-015-0800-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-015-0800-4

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