Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Experimental and numerical study on crack propagation and deformation around underground opening in jointed rock masses

  • Article
  • Published:
Geosciences Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Understanding the process of crack propagation and deformation around underground openings is a key issue in several engineering fields, such as tunneling, mining, and radioactive waste disposal facilities. Many failures of underground openings are commonly induced by the geological discontinuities of host rock masses, which contain the existing discontinuities and the new cracks generated during the construction of underground structures. In this study, base friction tests were conducted to investigate the influence of dip angle of layered joints on the stability of circular openings in jointed rock masses and a series of numerical simulations utilizing an originally developed code based on distinct element method (DEM) were performed on the experimentbased and extended numerical models, respectively. The results show that the main propagation direction of newly generated cracks is approximately perpendicular to the joint dip angle. For the brittle host rock masses, the deformation around the underground openings is governed by the tensile failure of host rock masses. A decrease in joint dip angle gives rise to an increase of plastic failure zone in the host rock masses. The models with lower joint dip angles could generate a larger number of cracks. The maximum displacement observed at the left shoulder of openings is approximately 1.8–2 times of the minimum displacement at the right side wall of circular opening. The influences of the opening shape on the main propagation direction of newly generated cracks could be negligible. Due to the stress concentration at the sharp corner of square openings, a larger area of plastic zones is developed, which leads to obvious increment of displacements around the underground openings.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Brady, B. and Brown, H.G., 2004, Rock mechanics: for underground mining. Kluvier Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 628 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bray, J.W. and Goodman, R.E., 1981, The theory of base friction models. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences & Geomechanics Abstracts, 18, 453–468.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cai, M., Kaiser, P.K., and Martin, C.D., 1998, A tensile model for the interpretation of microseismic events near underground openings. Pure and Applied Geophysics, 153, 67–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cai, M., Kaiser, P.K., Tasaka, Y., Maejima, T., Morioka, H., and Minami, M., 2004, Generalized crack initiation and crack damage stress thresholds of brittle rock masses near underground excavations. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 41, 833–847.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chappell, B.A., 1979, Deformational response in discontinua. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences & Geomechanics Abstracts, 16, 377–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cundall, P.A. and Hart, R.D., 1992, Numerical modelling of discontinua. Engineering Computations, 9, 101–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dershowitz, W.S. and Einstein, H.H., 1988, Characterizing rock joint geometry with joint system models. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 21, 21–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, E.R. and Shi, G., 1985, Block theory application to rock engineering. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, 338 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • González-Palacio, C., Menéndez-Díaz, A., Álvarez-Vigil, A.E., and González-Niciezaa, C., 2005, Identification of non-pyramidal key blocks in jointed rock masses for tunnel excavation. Computers and Geotechnics, 32, 179–200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hammah, R.E., Yacoub, T., Corkum, B., and Curran, J.H., 2008, The practical modelling of discontinuous rock masses with finite element analysis. The 42nd US Rock Mechanics Symposium (USRMS), San Francisco, June 29–July 2, Document ID: ARMA-08-180.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hao, Y.H. and Azzam, R., 2005, The plastic zones and displacements around underground openings in rock masses containing a fault. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 20, 49–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jia, P. and Tang, C.A., 2008, Numerical study on failure mechanism of tunnel in jointed rock mass. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 23, 500–507.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang, Y., Xiao, J., Yamaguchi, K., Tanabashi, Y., and Esaki, T., 2001, Behaviour and support design of large underground opening in discontinuous rock masses. Journal of the Mining and Materials Processing Institute of Japan, 117, 639–644.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiang, Y., Tanabashi, Y., Li, B., and Xiao, J., 2006, Influence of geometrical distribution of rock joints on deformational behavior of underground opening. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 21, 485–491.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang, Y., Li, B., and Yamashita, Y., 2009, Simulation of cracking near a large underground cavern in a discontinuous rock mass using the expanded distinct element method. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 46, 97–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiao, Y.Y., Zhang, X.L., and Zhao, J., 2012, Two-dimensional DDA contact constitutive model for simulating rock fragmentation. Journal of Engineering Mechanics, 138,199–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiao, Y.Y., Zhang, H.Q., Zhang, X.L., Li, H.B., and Jiang, Q.H., 2015, A two-dimensional coupled hydromechanical discontinuum model for simulating rock hydraulic fracturing. International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, 39, 457–481.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jing, L. and Hudson, J.A., 2002, Numerical methods in rock mechanics. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 39, 409–427.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kulatilake, P.H.S.W., Wang, S., and Stephansson, O., 1993, Effect of finite-size joints on the deformability of jointed rock in 3-dimensions. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences & Geomechanics Abstracts, 30, 479–501.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kulatilake, P., Malama, B., and Wang, J., 2001, Physical and particle flow modeling of jointed rock block behavior under uniaxial loading. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 38, 641–657.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, Y., Zhou, H., Zhu, W., Li, S.C., and Liu, J., 2016, Experimental and numerical investigations on the shear behavior of a jointed rock mass. Geosciences Journal, 20, 371–379.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lisjak, A., Figi, D., and Grasselli, G., 2014, Fracture development around deep underground excavations: Insights from FDEM modelling. Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 6, 493–505.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu, J., 2002, Systematic identification of polyhedral rock blocks with arbitrary joints and faults. Computers and Geotechnics, 29, 49–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martino, J.B. and Chandler, N.A., 2004, Excavation-induced damage studies at the underground research laboratory. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 41, 1413–1426.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sagong, M., Park, D., Yoo, J., and Lee, J.S., 2011, Experimental and numerical analyses of an opening in a jointed rock mass under biaxial compression. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 48, 1055–1067.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shen, B. and Barton, N., 1997, The disturbed zone around tunnels in jointed rock masses. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 34, 117–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Solak, T., 2009, Ground behavior evaluation for tunnels in blocky rock masses. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 24, 323–330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang, C.A., 1997, Numerical simulation of progressive rock failure and associated seismicity. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 34, 249–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang, C.A., Yang, W.T., Fu, Y.F., and Xu, X.H., 1998, A new approach to numerical method of modelling geological processes and rock engineering problems–continuum to discontinuum and linearity to nonlinearity. Engineering Geology, 49, 207–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang, C.A., Liu, H., Lee, P.K.K., Tsui, Y., and Tham, L.G., 2000, Numerical studies of the influence of microstructure on rock failure in uniaxial compression–part I: effect of heterogeneity. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 37, 555–569.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang, C.A., Tham, L.G., Lee, P.K.K., Tsui, Y., and Liu, H., 2000, Numerical studies of the influence of microstructure on rock failure in uniaxial compression–part II: constraint, slenderness and size effect. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 37, 571–583.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Timoshenko, S. and Goodier, J.N., 1951, Theory of Elasticity. McGraw-Hill, New York, 506 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, S.H., Lee, C.I., Ranjith, P.G., and Tang, C.A., 2009, Modeling the effects of heterogeneity and anisotropy on the excavation damaged/ disturbed zone (EDZ). Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 42, 229–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu, W.C., Liu, J., Tang, C.A., Zhao, X.D., and Brady, B.H., 2005, Simulation of progressive fracturing processes around underground excavations under biaxial compression. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 20, 231–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Engineering, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki, 8528521, Japan

    Xiaoshan Wang

  2. School of Engineering, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki, 8528521, Japan

    Yujing Jiang

  3. State Key Laboratory of Mine Disaster Prevention and Control, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266510, China

    Yujing Jiang

  4. Rock Mechanics and Geo-Hazards Center, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, 312000, China

    Bo Li

Authors
  1. Xiaoshan Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yujing Jiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bo Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yujing Jiang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, X., Jiang, Y. & Li, B. Experimental and numerical study on crack propagation and deformation around underground opening in jointed rock masses. Geosci J 21, 291–304 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12303-016-0051-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12303-016-0051-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation