Micromechanical modeling of cracking and failure in brittle rocks

Dynamic micromechanical models are used to analyze crack nucleation and propagation in brittle rock. Models of rock are created by bonding together thousands of individual particles at points of contact. The feasibility of using these bonded particle models to reproduce rock mechanical behavior is explored by comparing model behavior to results from actual laboratory tests on different rock types. The behavior of two granite models are examined in detail to study cracking and failure patterns that occur during compressional loading. Because discontinuum models are being used, the rock models are free to crack and break apart under stress, such that the micromechanics of cracking can be examined. Stress waves are allowed to propagate outward from each crack, and it is shown that these dynamic waves significantly affect the rock behavior. As the peak stress in the modeled rock is approached and many of the bonds are close to breaking, a passing wave from a nearby crack is sufficient to break more bonds. This causes clusters of cracks to be created, and then eventual macroscopic shear failure occurs as these clusters connect to bisect the sample. The failure patterns observed in the granite models are similar to those observed in actual laboratory tests.