A rational and realistic rock mass modelling strategy for the stability analysis of blocky rock mass

Abstract

Due to the importance of a realistic rock mass model for the achievement of accurate and reliable results from numerical analysis of blocky rock mass, a probability based rock mass geometrical model is proposed in the present study. The rock mass geometry is built based on site investigation data and stochastic analysis of the discontinuity mapping results. The discontinuities and/or sets of them, either finite or infinite in size, planar or non-planar, convex or concave in shape, can be implemented in the three-dimensional rock mass model. Key block analysis and support design are then suggested to the stochastic rock mass models. To achieve a realistic stability analysis of the rock mass with the proposed probabilistic rock mass model, a few suggestions have also been made. These include the adoption of realistic constitutive models to intact rock and rock discontinuities, use of numerical model to technically handle numerical difficulties and development of a realistic modelling strategy to achieve realistic and affordable computational cost, etc.

Keywords:

• discontinuity network
• key block analysis
• modelling strategy