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Brittle Rock Modeling Approach and its Validation Using Excavation-Induced Micro-Seismicity

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Abstract

With improvements to the bonded-particle model, a custom indicator of crack intensity is introduced to grade rock fractures accurately. Brittle fracturing of rock mass is studied using the bonded-particle model; here, “brittle” refers to the process where more energy is released towards making particles collide and disperse, and hence results in the quick emergence of “chain cracks”. Certain principles concerning how to construct brittle rock are then proposed. Furthermore, a modeling approach for brittle rocks based on the adaptive continuum/discontinuum (AC/DC) method is proposed to aid the construction of large-scale models of tunnel excavations. To connect with actual tunneling conditions, fundamental mechanical properties, the mechanism for brittle fracturing, the joint distribution, and the initial stress field are considered in the modeling approach. Results from micro-seismic monitoring of a tunnel excavation confirmed the suitability of this modeling approach to simulate crack behavior, and results show that simulated cracking exhibit similar trends (evolution, location, and intensity) with micro-seismic cracking.

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Abbreviations

AC/DC:

Adaptive continuum/discontinuum method

BPM:

Bonded-particle model

Pbrick:

An assembly of particles within a periodic space

F :

Resultant force

M :

Resultant moment

E c :

Particle modulus

E p :

Parallel bond modulus

k n :

Normal stiffness

k s :

Shear stiffness

\( k_n^c /k_s^c \) :

Stiffness ratio of contact

\( k_n^p /k_s^p \) :

Stiffness ratio of parallel bond

R max :

Maximum particle size

R min :

Minimum particle size

ρ :

Particle density

σ c :

Tensile strength of bond

τ c :

Shear strength of bond

∆σ c :

Standard deviation of tensile strength

∆τ c :

Standard deviation of shear strength

μ :

Friction coefficient

ψ :

Dilation angle

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41230635 and 41172279), and the open fund (Grant No. SKLGP2015K004) from the State Key Laboratory of Geo-hazard Prevention and Geo-environment Protection, China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu, 610059, China

    Chun-Chi Ma, Tian-Bin Li, Hang Zhang, Min-Jie Wang, Tian-Yi Liu, Guo-Qing Chen & Zi-Quan Chen

  2. Centre for Geoscience Computing, School of Earth Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Chun-Chi Ma & Hui-Lin Xing

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  1. Chun-Chi Ma
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Correspondence to Tian-Bin Li.

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Ma, CC., Li, TB., Xing, HL. et al. Brittle Rock Modeling Approach and its Validation Using Excavation-Induced Micro-Seismicity. Rock Mech Rock Eng 49, 3175–3188 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-016-0941-0

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