Practical equivalent continuum characterization of jointed rock masses

A simple practical method to characterize the strength and stiffness of jointed rock masses is presented in this paper. The empirical relations for the strength and stiffness of rock masses have been arrived based on the statistical analysis of a large amount of experimental data, which are used for representing the jointed rock mass as an equivalent continuum. The effect of joints in the rock mass is taken into account by a joint factor. These obtained relations are incorporated in a non-linear FEM code to represent the equivalent continuum analysis. The equivalent continuum model has been validated against experimental results for jointed rock masses with different joint fabric and joint orientation and also with the results from explicit modeling of joints using FEM. The developed model has also been applied to calculate the deformation around a large power station cavern in rhyolite rock at 200 m depth. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.