Modified predictor-corrector solution approach for efficient discontinuous deformation analysis of jointed rock masses

The high computational costs associated with the implicit formulation of discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) have been one of the major obstacles for its implementation to engineering problems involving jointed rock masses with large numbers of blocks. In this paper, the Newmark-based predictor-corrector solution (NPC) approach was modified to improve the performance of the original DDA solution module in modeling discontinuous problems. The equation of motion for a discrete block system is first established with emphasis on the consideration of contact constraints. A family of modified Newmark-based predictor-corrector integration (MNPC) scheme is then proposed and implemented into a unified analysis framework. Comparisons are made between the proposed approach and the widely used constant acceleration (CA) integration approach and central difference (CD) approach, regarding the stability and numerical damping features for a single-degree-of-freedom model, where the implications of the proposed approach on open-close iteration are also discussed. The validity of the proposed approach is verified by several benchmarking examples, and it is then applied to two typical problems with different numbers of blocks. The results show that the original CA approach in DDA is efficient for the simulation of quasi-static deformation of jointed rock masses, while the proposed MNPC approach leads to improved computational efficiency for dynamic analysis of large-scale jointed rock masses. The MNPC approach therefore provides an additional option for efficient DDA of jointed rock masses.     

非连续变形分析方法中的阻尼问题研究

定量研究了非连续变形分析(DDA)方法中的黏性阻尼与数值阻尼。首先,基于Newmark直接积分法,推导了块体系统的运动方程。其次,通过动力学中的黏性阻尼理论建立了DDA中动力系数、时间步长与黏性阻尼比的关系式,探讨了DDA中的常加速度积分方案的数值阻尼分区及阻尼比计算方法,进而得到两种阻尼共同作用时的阻尼比表达式,并分析了频域内阻尼比的分布情况。最后,以谐振激励下的块体振动为例,通过对比不同阻尼作用下块体位移的DDA计算值与理论解,验证了本文提出的阻尼比计算公式的正确性。研究表明：黏性阻尼对低频的衰减作用明显,数值阻尼则可以很快地消除高频干扰,而二者共同作用下可降低阻尼的频率相关性。该研究成果为DDA的振动、波动等动力计算的阻尼取值提供了理论依据。     

数值流形方法框架下散体系统与连续介质共同作用模拟

数值流形方法是包含流形元、有限元及DDA在内的数值方法体系,建立流形元与DDA块体的接触方程,则可实现流形方法框架下的连续介质和散体系统共同作用模拟。针对填石路堤工程,编制了大型数值计算程序,采用块体随机生成、块体粒径控制及块体自然堆积的方法建立散体系统的DDA模型,对路堤的分层铺设、碾压及工后沉降变形等进行模拟分析。通过算例表明,在数值流形方法框架下,采用流形元与DDA共同作用的方法,可以很好地对同时存在连续变形和散体大变形的体系进行计算分析,其对该类问题的模拟更接近分析对象的实际情况,有助于从根本上揭示分析对象变形的细观机制和规律,并能考察更多因素对工程问题的影响。     

基于线性互补的非连续变形分析

非连续变形分析(DDA)方法是一种新的用来分析块体系统运动和变形的非连续介质数值计算方法。研究的核心工作是致力于对现有DDA接触问题处理方法的改进。DDA主要采用罚函数法和Lagrange乘子法处理接触问题,合理设定罚参数很困难,此外,因开闭迭代而引起的刚度矩阵的不连续变化也会导致收敛方面的困难。为避免引入罚参数及传统意义上的开闭迭代,用混合线性互补模型(LCDDA)对DDA方法进行了重新描述。在此基础上,综合基于非光滑分析的Newton法的局部平方收敛和最速下降法的全局线性收敛的优势,提出求解LCDDA模型的有效算法。根据上述思想及理论研究成果编制了完整的计算程序,算例计算结果证明了方法的精度及可行性。     

节理岩体三维块体系统面向对象的数据结构

节理岩体三维块体系统的数据结构直接关系到三维块体计算程序开发的难易及程序运行的效率。由于岩体三信块体的任意性、复杂性，使其数据的组织有相当的困难，采用面向对象的设计思想，在C＋＋语言环境下，对三维块体系统的数据结构进行了研究与开发，获得了满意的结果。     

Application of discontinuous deformation analysis on stability analysis of slopes and underground power houses

Continuous computation and limit equilibrium computation are the two independent computations for practical rock engineering. For global stability analysis, limit equilibrium is still the fundamental method. For any numerical method, reaching limit equilibrium requires large displacements, discontinuous contacts, precise friction law, multistep computation and stabilised time-step dynamic computation. Therefore three convergences are unavoidable: convergence of equilibrium equations, convergence of open-close iterations for contacts and convergence of the contact forces of dynamic computations. This paper utilises mainly two dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) and an available simple version of three dimensional DDA. The applications show DDA has the ability to reach the limit equilibrium of block systems.     

一种改进步长自调的非连续变形分析法

非连续变形分析（DDA）是一种针对块体系统变形和位移求解的数值计算方法。引入Newmark方法于结构动力学微分方程中,考虑惯性力和阻尼力作用,改进时间步长自动调节,并实现DDA求解程序;比较研究Newmark方法中的线性加速法、常加速法和平均加速法在DDA程序中计算的收敛速度,讨论块体系统动力学计算过程中DDA方法对惯性力和阻尼力的添加和删除,并提出根据计算精度要求的误差控制实现方案。将改进的DDA方法模拟一个典型的煤与瓦斯突出过程,取得了满意的计算结果,该改进算法为DDA方法处理动力学问题提供新的途径     

Formulation of discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) — an implicit discrete element model for block systems

Continuum-based numerical methods have played a leading role in the numerical solution of problems in rock mechanics and engineering geology. However, for fractured rocks, a continuum assumption often leads to difficult parameters to define and over-simplified geometry to be realistic. In such case, discrete representations of fractures and individual blocks must be adopted. In this paper, a newly emerged member in the family of discrete element methods (DEM), the discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA), is presented, including its variational principle, governing equations, solution techniques and contact representation and detection algorithms. Its relative advantages and shortcomings are compared with the explicit distinct element method and the finite element method. An example of the analysis of tunnel stability is provided to demonstrate the capability of this new method.     

Implementation of the finite element method in the three‐dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis (3D‐DDA)

A modified three‐dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis (3D‐DDA) method is derived using four‐noded tetrahedral elements to improve the accuracy of current 3D‐DDA algorithm in practical applications. The analysis program for the modified 3D‐DDA method is developed in a C++ environment and its accuracy is illustrated through comparisons with several analytical solutions that are available for selected problems. The predicted solutions for these problems using the modified 3D‐DDA approach all show satisfactory agreement with the corresponding analytical results. Results presented in this paper demonstrate that the modified 3D‐DDA method with discontinuous modeling capabilities offers a useful computational tool to determine stresses and deformations in practical problems involving fissured elastic media with reasonable accuracy. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

非连续变形分析方法中人为参数的影响

非连续变形分析方法(DDA) 自创立以来,已在分析不连续体的大变形、大位移的问题中显示了其优越性。但DDA方法需要人为设置一些控制参数,通过一个简单的滑块模型,分别采用不同的时步大小、不同的接触弹簧刚度、并比较相对误差,分析了人为设定的参数对DDA计算结果的影响,指出仅在合理的取值范围内,大时步和大的接触弹簧刚度才能产生较好的计算结果;同时对造成这种影响的原因做了一定的探讨,并建议了参数取值的上下限原则。     

New point-to-face contact algorithm for 3-D contact problems using the augmented Lagrangian method in 3-D DDA

This paper presents a new point-to-face contact algorithm for contacts between two polyhedrons with planar boundaries. A new discrete numerical method called three-dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis (3-D DDA) is used and formulations of normal contact submatrices based on the proposed algorithm are derived. The presented algorithm is a simple and efficient method and it can be easily coded into a computer program. This approach does not need to use an iterative algorithm in each time step to obtain the contact plane, unlike the ‘Common-Plane’ method applied in the existing 3-D DDA. In the present 3-D DDA method, block contact constraints are enforced using the penalty method. This approach is quite simple, but may lead to inaccuracies that may be large for small values of the penalty number. The penalty method also creates block contact overlap, which violates the physical constraints of the problem. These limitations are overcome by using the augmented Lagrangian method that is used for normal contacts in this research. This point-to-face contact model has been programmed and some illustrative examples are provided to demonstrate the new contact rule between two blocks. A comparison between results obtained by using the augmented Lagrangian method and the penalty method is presented as well.     

A New Viscous Boundary Condition in the Two-Dimensional Discontinuous Deformation Analysis Method for Wave Propagation Problems

Viscous boundaries are widely used in numerical simulations of wave propagation problems in rock mechanics and rock engineering. By using such boundaries, reflected waves from artificial boundaries can be eliminated; therefore, an infinite domain can be modeled as a finite domain more effectively and with a much greater accuracy. Little progress has been made, thus far, with the implementation and verification of a viscous boundary in the numerical, discrete element, discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) method. We present in this paper a new viscous boundary condition for DDA with a higher absorbing efficiency in comparison to previously published solutions. The theoretical derivation of the new viscous boundary condition for DDA is presented in detail, starting from first principles. The accuracy of the new boundary condition is verified using a series of numerical benchmark tests. We show that the new viscous boundary condition works well with both P waves as well as S waves.     

Boundary setting method for the seismic dynamic response analysis of engineering rock mass structures using the discontinuous deformation analysis method

Large deformations and discontinuous problems can be calculated using the discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) method by solving time steps, and this method is suitable for simulating the seismic dynamic response of engineering rock mass structures. However, the boundary setting must be carefully analyzed. In this paper, four boundary settings for the DDA method are investigated. First, the contributions to the DDA equations for nonreflecting boundaries (including the viscous boundary and the viscoelastic boundary) are deduced based on the Newmark method. Second, a free‐field boundary is introduced in the DDA method with boundary grid generation and coupling calculation algorithms to accurately simulate external source wave motion, such as earthquakes. Third, seismic input boundary treatments are intensively examined, and the force input method is introduced based on nonreflecting boundaries. Finally, the static‐dynamic unified boundary is implemented to ensure consistent boundary transformation. The boundary setting method in the DDA method is discussed, and the suggested treatments are used to analyze the seismic dynamic response of underground caverns. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

数值流形法中“质量守恒”的探讨

数值流形法是至少包含流形法(NMM)、有限元法(FEM)和非连续变形分析(DDA)的数值方法体系。将数值流形法中物理单元与数学单元完全重合,去掉接触理论,流形元能够回归到有限元,将通过简单的板压缩数值试验验证这一点。在以前的数值流形法法中,质量守恒问题一直被忽视,物理单元的质量会随着单元体积改变,计算结果存在一定的误差。通过改变计算过程中单元密度实现计算过程中的"质量守恒",完善了现有数值流形法的理论基础。     

Computation of the safety factor for slope stability using discontinuous deformation analysis and the vector sum method

This study introduces the vector sum method into discontinuum-based methods by considering the sliding vector and the stress state of the discrete block system. The sliding direction computation and force projection in the new approach are detailed, and the safety factor is solved by explicit equations. The vector sum method is implemented in the discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) program and is used to compute the safety factors for two numerical examples. A comparison of the solutions obtained with the theoretical analysis and limit equilibrium analysis demonstrates that the new method is suitable for calculating the safety factor of a slope.     

基于OpenMP的非连续变形分析并行计算方法

非连续变形分析（DDA）方法严格满足平衡要求和能量守恒,具有完全的运动学及数值可靠性,但对大规模岩土工程问题的数值模拟耗时太长,尤其是线性方程组求解,并行计算可以很好地解决该问题。首先基于DDA方法的基本理论,阐述了适用于DDA方法中的基于块的行压缩法和基于“试验-误差”迭代格式的非零位置记录;其次,引入块雅可比迭代法并行求解DDA方法的线性方程组,并改进了相应的非零存储方法;最后,基于OpenMP实现了DDA线性方程组求解并行计算,并将其应用于地下洞室群的破坏过程分析,以加速比为并行效率的指标评价,结果表明,该并行计算策略可以极大提高DDA的计算效率,而且适合各种规模的问题。     

岩石力学联锁咬合岩块结构稳定性分析

首次建立了岩石力学中的多种联锁咬合岩块结构模型,介绍了块体理论的进展,并采用改进的DDA（块体不连续变形分析）法对块体进行了稳定性分析。     

滑坡运动过程仿真分析

滑坡是一个动态过程，滑坡体的运动是一个集滑动，转动，拉张等运动方式的复杂运动过程，传统的极限平衡和计算和有限元分析均无法描述滑坡的运动学特点和运动过程。非连续变形分析（DDA）是最近发展起来的一种新的离散数值分析方法。该方法基于块体的运动学理论及数值分析，可以开展块体的静力和动力学计算。应用非连续变形分析方法对长江三峡区新滩滑坡的运动全过程进行了数值模拟研究，模拟方案充分依据该滑坡的地质，地形特征，按不同岩土体和地质结构面类型进行块体单元的划分，共划分成504个块体单元。模拟结果表明，新滩滑坡是以斜坡中部姜家坡一带的局部破坏为其运动的开始阶段，并进一步牵引上部滑体和推动下部滑体。代表性块体单元的位移变化曲线和滑动速度变化曲线反映了滑动过程中滑坡体块体系统的变形是非连续的，各处块体的动态形态各异，从而很好地再现了新滩滑坡的整个动态过程，揭示了滑坡的运动机制。     

Applying disk-based discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) to simulate Donghekou landslide triggered by the Wenchuan earthquake

In this paper, for the first time, disk-based discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) is applied to simulate a real landslide triggered by an earthquake. For this purpose, the kinematic behaviour of the Donghekou landslide triggered by the Wenchuan earthquake is simulated and the results obtained using disk-based DDA are compared with actual data. The comparisons show that there is a good agreement between the results obtained using disk-based DDA and observed data. The simulation results provided an understanding of the failure behaviour and temporal evolution of the landslide. This study shows that disk-based DDA is a practical numerical tool that can be used to simulate the post-failure behaviour of landslides triggered by an earthquake.