FINITE-ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF JOINTED ROCK MASSES AND ENGINEERING APPLICATION

In this paper, regularly jointed rock masses are regarded as composed of isotropic rock elements and equivalent anisotropic jointed rock elements. On the basis of analyzing the deformation and strength of jointed rock elements, fundamental formulae are derived for equivalent deformation and equivalent strength: thus, an equivalent continuum model is presented. By non-linear FEM analysis the simulation is performed for the mechanical properties of jointed rock masses. The validity of the model is verified by means of physical model tests. This numerical model has been applied in for strength prediction and stability analysis for two typical engineering jointed rock masses, with satisfactory results.