Evaluating the Accuracy of Bonded Block Models for Prediction of Rockmass Analog Mechanical Behavior

Details

• Personal Author:
  Sinha S ; Walton G ; West I
• Description:
  Large-scale rock formations, referred to as "rockmasses", consist of intact rock separated by pre-existing discontinuities (i.e., joints). The mechanical behavior of rockmasses is difficult to directly test in the laboratory due to the required specimen scale. Instead, Synthetic Rockmass Modeling (SRM) is often used to simulate field-scale rockmass behavior. SRM requires a calibrated discrete element model (DEM) of intact rock combined with a Discrete Fracture Network (DFN). While the SRM concept has been informally determined to provide reasonable results based on practitioner experience, detailed and peer-reviewed validation is lacking. The goal of this study was to evaluate the predictive capabilities of the SRM method. Previously available data on intact and rockmass analog laboratory specimens of Blanco Mera granite containing DFNs with two joint sets were used as a basis for the SRM created in this study. Specifically, the intact DEM was a Bonded Block Model (BBM), generated to match the grain structure and composition of Blanco Mera granite and the model's input parameters were calibrated so that the behavior of the BBM matched that of the intact laboratory specimens. The predictive capabilities of the model were evaluated by recreating the DFN from the jointed laboratory specimens within the intact BBM and comparing the behavior of the jointed models back to the jointed laboratory specimens, which has not been previously studied in the literature. The BBM was found capable of approximately predicting the behavior of rockmass analog specimens containing a pre-existing DFN without further calibration, which shows potential for the use of SRM in both industry and academia. Specifically, the BBM predicted the strength, dilatancy, and microfracturing behavior of the jointed laboratory specimens. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Analytical Models Artificially Jointed Specimens Author Keywords: Rockmass Behavior Bonded Block Models Compressive Strength Forward Prediction Geotechnical Engineering Mechanical Properties Numerical Modeling Prediction Model Rock Mechanics Synthetic Rockmass Model Triaxial Testing UDEC Voronoi

  More +
• ISSN:
  1996-1944
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Contract
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Colorado ; OSHA Region 8
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  88
• Volume:
  17
• Issue:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20069115
• Citation:
  Materials 2024 Jan; 17(1):88
• Contact Point Address:
  Gabriel Walton, Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401
• Email:
  gwalton@mines.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2024
• Performing Organization:
  Colorado School of Mines, Golden
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20160915
• Source Full Name:
  Materials
• End Date:
  20210914
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d24681925172773cd6d7d6d88500a7d8402e109cccecb49787a9184cb857b8330af42fde8fb205dda6985bd87476ac88a381af82e49ba105aa0a963547647f5a
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/207653/cdc_207653_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 9.34 MB ]