Shear behaviour of infilled rock joints under different boundary conditions

The use of commercial software for the analysis and design of rock slopes, underground structures, mining projects, foundations of infrastructure projects, piles and so on is becoming more commonplace. However, such software sometimes has limitations and cannot be used directly for determining the strength and deformation behaviour of rock joints when they are subjected to external loads due to construction. Correct predictions of the strength and deformation behaviour of rock joints are important for safe, economical and sustainable design. The strength and deformation behaviour of unfilled and infilled rock joints were numerically studied using the commercial software Universal Distinct Element Code (Udec) under different boundary conditions (constant normal stiffness (CNS) and constant normal load (CNL)). The numerical results were compared with experimental results of physical model tests. The strength predicted by the numerical model was in close agreement with the experimental results at low initial normal stress and for CNL boundary conditions, as asperity degradation during the shearing process was almost same throughout the test. However, the numerical model did not correctly predict the shear strength of rock joints under CNS boundary conditions and at high normal stress under both CNL and CNS conditions because Udec does not consider the effect of asperity degradation during shearing. The Udec code was thus modified for applicability under both CNL and CNS boundary conditions and at high initial normal stress at CNL boundary conditions. Comparison of the predicted and experimental results indicated most predictions to lie in the 95% confidence band.

Automated summary

This article discusses the use of commercial software for analyzing and designing rock slopes, underground structures, and other projects. It highlights the importance of correctly predicting the strength and deformation behavior of rock joints for safe and sustainable design. The article presents a numerical study of unfilled and infilled rock joints using the commercial software Udec, comparing the results with physical model tests. The study found that the numerical model accurately predicted the strength under certain conditions, but failed to predict the shear strength under other conditions.