Rock Mechanics Industrg for Arnadei, Kranz, Scott Srneailie & (ed$) 1999 Balkerna, Rotterdam, 9058090523 ISBN

Numerical models thekeytounderstanding mechanics jointed are the of

rocks
EE. Heuze

Lawrence Livermore NationalLaboratory, Calif., USA

ABSTRACT: Thereis muchevidence thatthe mechanics discontinuous of mediasuchasjointedrocks is neithertractable conventional by continuum methods, is readilyamenable intuitiveanalysis. nor to Highlights from four casehitorieswill illustrate peculiar the behavior rock masses bothquasiof in staticanddynamic conditions. brief summary presented A is here.

1 CRESTMORE

MINE

earlier. The suggestion madeon thebasisof was

the work of Obert et al, who in 1976 had

The firststory(1966-1969)concerns behavior the of the roof at the Crestmore room-and-pillar marblemine (HeuzeandGoodman, 1967;Heuze, 1983). Largechambers beenexcavated, had with a lengthof 60m, height of 7.5m, and width of
9m. Two of them were widened in successive

documented the large increasein the normal stress jointsduring on shear tests under controlled transverse stiffness,as opposedto shear tests undercontrolled normalstress (Obertet al, 1976).

stepsto 12, 15, 18, and 21m, and the height finally extendedto 21 m. Among the many measurements made during the mine-by of the first room, were those of tangentialstresses at mid-span the roof,measured flat-jacks in by both transversely longitudinally themain axisof and to thechamber.The initialtangential stresses were compressive. Based on continuummechanics, thesetangentialstresses shouldbecomelessand lesscompressive the spanincreases.On the as contrary, the transversestress became more compressive the span went to 12 and 15m, as stabilized a spanof 18m, and decreased at very slightly a span 21m. The longitudinal at of stress increased the way to a span of 18m and all
stabilized between 18 and 21m. Both stresses

2 CLIMAX

MINE

The second story (1980-1981) relates to a measurement change verticalstress of in madein a pillar during a mine-by experimentat the ClimaxMine (Heuzeet al, 1982),a granitic mine in Nevada which was the site of the Spent-Fuel Test (SFT). As a drift was opened the middle in of a largerockpillar, a vibrating-wire stress gage showed decrease verticalpillar stress. a in Again,
continuum mechanics would have indicated that

showeda significant reductionin compression when the benchwas taken and the room height
went from 7.5 to 21m. In 1985, a model of a

the oppositeshouldtake place. The observed decrease couldnot be attributed archingor to to blasting-induced rock masssoftening, sincethe gagelocationwas near the centerof one of the two pillars createdby the mine-by. A detailed finite elementsimulation the SFT's sequential of excavationwas conducted, which includedthe majorjointsat the site. The stress computation
indeed showed a decrease in vertical stress in a

beam roof with verticaljoints was appliedby Pender to the Crestmore data, upon the suggestion the author(Pender,1985). The of analysis clearly showed how dilatant joint behavior couldcreatethe patternof tangential roof stresseswhich had bee recordedyears

very limited regionwherethe gagehappened to be placed. This was due to the presenceof intersecting discontinuities thepillar. in

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SULKY NUCLEAR CRATERING TEST

CONCLUSIONS

In 1986, a new analysiswas undertaken the of Sulky nuclear crateringtest, a shallow-buried (8.1m) low yield (29-ton)shot. Sulkycreated a "retarc", i.e. a mound of rock which filled back the craterexcavated the explosion by (Heuze et al (1991), Heuze et al (1993)). The film of the eventshows ejectasentup nearlyvertically. The simulation useddiscrete elements, asto try and so capturethe mechanicsof a blocky rock mass disaggregated an explosion. by The analysis was very successfulin that it reproduced the geometric resultsof the test. A mostinteresting insight was obtained in the behavior of the velocity field of blocks at the surface. As expected, towards edges the surface the of rupture the velocityvectors startradiallyto the explosion center. Thus, intuitively one would expect a significant radiusof materialthrow-away. But, the velocity vectors rapidly undergo a large rotation, 50 degreesor so, to becomenearly vertical. This takesplaceas the shearsurfaces of the cratersidesdevelopandthe blockyrock mass
dilates. It results in a calculated throw out of

In summary, numerical modelshavebeenthe key to understanding someof the complex mechanics of jointed rocks under static and dynamic conditions, which have beendocumented through high-qualityfield instrumentation.In spite of suchsuccesses, are still greatopportunities there to furtherimprovethe power of geomechanics simulations. While our profession pursuesthe validation physics themodels, should of in it also takefull advantage continuing of developments in massively parallel algorithms and in computer

graphics as to build yet more realisticand so moreusefulanalysis design and tools.

REFERENCES

Heuze, F.E. and R.E. Goodman 1967. Mechanical properties in-situbehavior the and of Chino Limestone, Riverside, California.

Proceedings U.S. Symposium Rock 9th on

Mechanics:181-202. Littleton, CO: SME/AIME. Heuze, F.E.W.C. Patrick, T.R. Butkovich, J.C. Petrson,R.V. de la Cruz, and C.F. Voss 1982. Rock mechanics studies mining in the Climax of Granite. Rock Mechanicsand Mining Science:
19: 167-183.

material almost straightup, as was observed in the actualSulkyevent.

SHOAL NUCLEAR

EVENT

Duringthe sameperiod,the geomechanics the of Shoalnuclear eventwasalsore-examined (Heuze et al, 1991;Heuze et al, 1993). That 1965 testin a Nevadagranitewas larger(12.5 kilotons)and deeper (340m) than Sulky. The analysiswas prompted very peculiarobservation ground by of surfacespall made on Shoal and on Piledriver, another contained nucleartestin granite. In both
cases, the return accelerationsof the surface
above the shot locations were well in excess of-

Heuze, F.E. 1983. Geomechanics hard rock in

mining- lessons from two casehistories. J. Int. Mining Engineering:1,1: 3-25.

Heuze, F.E., T.R. Butkovich, O.R. Walton, and D.M. Maddix 1991. Explosionphenomenology in jointed rocks: new insights. Geophysical Monograph Washington, AGU. 65. DC: Heuze, F.E., O.R. Walton, D.M. Maddix, R.T. Shaffer,and T.R. Butkovich 1993. Analysisof

lg (-1.4g at Shoal,and-1.75g at Piledriver). In the 1960's, arguments invokingthe creationof a vacuum under the spalled layer had been advanced explain suchaccelerations; no to but, analysishad been providedin supportof this thesis.Again, discrete elements wereusedfor the numerical modeling. The Shoal simulation showeda return acceleration of-1.46g. It was
the first calculation to show such mechanics. It is

explosions hard rocks:the power of discrete in element modeling. ComprehensiveRock Engineering:2: 387-413. London: Pergamon
Press.

Pender, M.J. 1985. Prefailurejoint dilatancy and the behaviorof a beamwith verticaljoint. Rock Mechanics RockEngineering: 253-266. and 18:
Obert, L., B.T. Brady, and F.W. Schmeehel
1976. The effect of normal stiffness on the shear resistance of rock. Rock Mechanics: 8: 57-72.

thought that, becausethe surface layer is not brokenup in the event,part of the energystored in the blocky spaliedlayer is recovered and is contributing the back-acceleration to duringthe
rebound.

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