Assessment of geomechanical characterization of a rock mass using a seismic geophysical technique

Summary In this article the use of the seismic properties of a rock mass to assess the geomechanical behaviour of the rock mass is examined and illustrated. The correlation between the values of seismic velocity and some basic parameters of rock mechanics, such as RQD and fracture frequency, have been established. Moreover, the relationships between the engineering rock-mass classification systems and seismic quality index (QI) have also been derived. The relationships have been derived from an investigation for a proposed dam in Wadi Mujib, Jordan. The ground conditions comprise colluvial and fluvial superficial deposits overlying limestones, mudstones, marls and shales. It is suggested that the relationships obtained in this study could be applied in areas that have similar lithological and structural characteristics.     

Fracture plane control in rock blasting

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Prediction and controlling of flyrock in blasting operation using artificial neural network

Flyrock is one of the most hazardous events in blasting operation of surface mines. There are several empirical methods to predict flyrock. Low performance of such models is due to complexity of flyrock analysis. Existence of various effective parameters and their unknown relationships are the main reasons for inaccuracy of the empirical models. Presently, application of new approaches such as artificial intelligence is highly recommended. In this paper, an attempt has been made to predict and control flyrock in blasting operation of Sangan iron mine, Iran incorporating rock properties and blast design parameters using artificial neural network (ANN) method. A three-layer feedforward back-propagation neural network having 13 hidden neurons with nine input parameters and one output parameter were trained using 192 experimental blast datasets. It was also observed that in ascending order, blastability index, charge per delay, hole diameter, stemming length, powder factor are the most effective parameters on the flyrock. Reducing charge per delay caused significant reduction in the flyrock from 165 to 25 m in the Sangan iron mine.     

节理岩体爆破的DDA方法模拟

在非连续变形分析（DDA）方法中,通过跟踪炮孔扩张和炮孔周边裂隙的发展贯通求得爆腔的即时体积,进而根据爆生压力状态方程计算爆腔即时压力,并将爆生压力载荷作用到主炮孔内壁和贯通裂隙面上,实现了爆生产物作用下节理岩体爆破的DDA方法模拟。采用DDA方法模拟了节理岩体中的水平柱状炮孔抛掷爆破问题,得到了爆腔的体积扩张和压力衰减时间曲线,模拟很好的再现了岩石爆破过程中的炮孔扩张、岩体破坏、块体抛掷和爆堆形成过程。     

盐岩油气储库介质地质力学模型相似材料的研制

以江苏金坛盐岩地下油气储库为示范工程,以精铁粉、重晶石粉、石英砂、一级松香和医用酒精为原料,根据相似原理以及金坛盐岩油气储库地层中盐岩、泥岩和盐岩夹层的实测物理力学参数,开展了各种配比条件下材料的单轴压缩、三轴压缩、直剪和巴西劈裂试验,通过原岩和模型材料的重度、泊松比、弹性模量、抗压强度、抗拉强度、黏聚力、内摩擦角等基本物理力学参数以及相应变形特征和强度破坏特性的对比分析,研制出基本满足相似条件要求的盐岩油气储库介质（盐岩、泥岩和盐岩夹层）的地质力学模型相似材料,为开展盐岩地下油气储库运营的变形与失效破坏地质力学模型试验提供了可靠的材料保证。     

Assessment of rock geomechanical quality by quantitative rock fabric coefficients: Limitations and possible source of misinterpretations

Rock microfabrics were quantified by image measurement system (petrographic image analysis) of thin sections. Along with common measured parameters (grain area and size, length of major and minor axes and their orientation), some quantitative parameters (aspect ratio, grain boundary smoothness) and fabric coefficients (micropetrographic quality index (K), “texture” coefficient (TC), indexes of interlocking (t) and grain size homogeneity (g)) were determined. The reliability of these parameters for the evaluation of geomechanical properties was tested on the set of granitic rocks showing pronounced variability in rock mechanical properties. None of the tested rock fabric coefficients or parameters proved a close correlation to rock mechanical properties except grain size. Based on experimental findings, the grain size is, along with porosity, the controlling factor of rock mechanical properties of genetically and mineralogically similar rocks. Obliteration of the real effects of rock fabric parameters on the mechanical properties of rocks by application of complex fabric coefficients disables their practical use in petrography applied to geomechanics.     

Two-dimensional dynamic finite element simulation of rock blasting

In the present study, the two-dimensional blast model has been simulated using finite element software Abaqus/CAE. The John–Wilkins–Lee equation of state has been used to calculate the pressure caused by the release of the chemical energy of the explosive. Detonation point from center of hole has been defined for the traveling path of explosive energy. Elastoplastic dynamic failure constitutive with kinematic hardening model was adopted for rock mass responses under high explosive pressure to understand the mechanism of blast phenomena. In this model, it is assumed that failure of rock occurs under tensile failure when yield plastic stress exceeded to its static tensile strength. The hydrostatic pressure was used as a failure measure to model dynamic spall or a pressure cut off. Variation of detonation velocity has been measured in terms of simulation blast output energies index results.     

Numerical computations of rock dissolution and geomechanical effects for CO2 geological storage

The paper is motivated by the long‐term safety analysis of the CO₂ geological storage. We present a methodology for the assessment of the geomechanical impact of progressive rock dissolution. The method is based on the use of X‐ray tomography and the numerical dissolution technique. The influence of evolution of the microstructure on the macroscopic properties of the rock is analysed by using periodic homogenization method. The numerical computations show progressive degradation of all components of the stiffness (orthotropic) tensor. Moreover, the evolution of associated mass transfer properties (as tortuosity and conductivity tensors), by using the periodic homogenization method, is also calculated. The correlation between the mechanical parameters and the transfer properties during the dissolution process is presented. The results show that the highest increase of the hydraulic conductivity (in direction Y) is not associated with the highest decrease of Young modulus in this direction. Moreover, the highest decrease of Young modulus (in the direction X) is not associated with percolation in this direction. Finally, an incremental law to calculate settlement, in case of a rock with evolving microstructure, is proposed. The solution of the macroscopic settlement problem under constant stress and drained conditions showed that the geomechanical effects of the rock dissolution are rather limited. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

3-D geomechanical rock mass characterization for the evaluation of rockslide susceptibility scenarios

An integrated methodology based on traditional field and remote surveys such as terrestrial laser scanning and terrestrial infrared thermography is proposed, with the aim of defining susceptibility scenarios connected to rock slopes affected by instability processes. The proposed methodology was applied to a rock slope threatening a coastal panoramic roadway located in western Elba Island (Livorno district, central Italy). The final aim of the methodology was to obtain an accurate three-dimensional rock mass characterization in order to detect the potentially more hazardous rock mass portions, calculate their volume, and collect all the required geomechanical and geometrical parameters to perform a detailed stability analysis. The proposed approach proved to be an effective tool in the field of engineering geology and emergency management, when it is often urgently necessary to minimize survey time when operating in dangerous environments and gather all the required information as fast as possible.     

Estimation of rock engineering properties using hardness tests

In engineering projects such as tunnels, dams, foundations, and slope stability, the strength and elastic properties of the intact rock affect both the project design and the construction operation. It is sometimes expensive and time consuming to perform direct tests to evaluate the engineering properties (such as strength, modulus of elasticity, and Poisson's ratio) of the intact rock. The purpose of this work is to investigate the relationships between the engineering properties of the intact rock and the different types of hardness (Schmidt, shore scleroscope, abrasion, and total hardness), which are relatively cheap and easy to evaluate. In this study, dolomite, dolomitic limestone, and shale rocks were used. For simplicity, linear statistical analyses were performed. The results show that there are good relationships between the engineering properties of the intact rock and its hardness. Also, the results of this study are compared well with the results obtained by other investigators conducted on different types of rocks.     

Upscaling of elastic properties for large scale geomechanical simulations

Large scale geomechanical simulations are being increasingly used to model the compaction of stress dependent reservoirs, predict the long term integrity of under‐ground radioactive waste disposals, and analyse the viability of hot‐dry rock geothermal sites. These large scale simulations require the definition of homogenous mechanical properties for each geomechanical cell whereas the rock properties are expected to vary at a smaller scale. Therefore, this paper proposes a new methodology that makes possible to define the equivalent mechanical properties of the geomechanical cells using the fine scale information given in the geological model. This methodology is implemented on a synthetic reservoir case and two upscaling procedures providing the effective elastic properties of the Hooke's law are tested. The first upscaling procedure is an analytical method for perfectly stratified rock mass, whereas the second procedure computes lower and upper bounds of the equivalent properties with no assumption on the small scale heterogeneity distribution. Both procedures are applied to one geomechanical cell extracted from the reservoir structure. The results show that the analytical and numerical upscaling procedures provide accurate estimations of the effective parameters. Furthermore, a large scale simulation using the homogenized properties of each geomechanical cell calculated with the analytical method demonstrates that the overall behaviour of the reservoir structure is well reproduced for two different loading cases. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Estimation of rock physicomechanical properties using hardness methods

The purpose of this study is to investigate the statistical relationship between hardness value and physicomechanical properties of constructional and cover rocks. The definition, measurement of hardness and classification of the rocks used are very important in construction sector. From this point of view, rock hardness is one of the most important parameters for the determination of rock properties. In this study, the determination of hardness and the physicomechanical properties of constructional and cover rocks in Çukurova region was accomplished using various methods in the laboratory. Statistical relations between physicomechanical properties and hardness of rocks were also determined. High correlations were found between the hardness methods (Shore Scleroscope, Schmidt hammer hardness), which are cheap and easy to use, and other physical and mechanical properties. It was found that physicomechanical properties can be estimated using hardness methods and compared with the calculated value from different empirical equations.     

爆破荷载作用下岩体损伤破坏的分形研究

通过对现有损伤参量的定义方法的分析,尝试采用分形维数作为表征岩石损伤的参量,建立分形维数与损伤程度的相对关系。根据盒维数算法思想及数字图像存储原理,编写了基于Matlab的数字图像的简易盒维数算法。结合实际工程爆破施工,采用数字式全景钻孔摄像系统进行了现场测试。通过对实测的爆前、爆后岩体的影像资料进行裂纹提取及图形处理,得到了爆破前后岩体损伤裂纹对应的分形维数,确定了爆破作用下所产生的损伤增量。结果表明,用分形维数来描述岩石的损伤,克服了其他定义方法涉及过多岩石特性参数的不便,其结果为研究岩石的损伤程度及演化过程,探索了一条新的途径。     

Probabilistic analysis of crushed zone for rock blasting

Transmission of explosion waves through a rock medium causes a severe vibration that stimulates the mechanical behavior of rock mass. This stimulation imposes highly concentrated stresses on the ends of existing fine joints and depending on the toughness of the rock, causes them to propagate rapidly. Consequently, the propagation and joining of cracks form a crushed zone around the blast hole. Several studies are available in the literature to estimate the radius of crushed zone, deterministically. In this paper, however, a probabilistic approach has been adopted. This is because the initiation and propagation of cracks have a probabilistic nature, and neither the initial state of the rock nor the explosion load could be expressed in a fully deterministic way. Thus, after generating random values for involved parameters, including explosive density, detonation velocity, dynamic Young’s modulus, dynamic Poisson’s ratio, uniaxial compressive strength, and borehole radius, the Monte-Carlo sampling method was adopted to calculate the exceeding probability of the crushed zone radius from desired values. The results showed that the exceedance probability for the growth of cracks falls sharply by the increase in the crushed zone radius so that the probability of crushed zone radius longer than 0.5 m is less than one percent. The results of this study, compared to the deterministic models, provide advantages in that they are not only limited to a certain value for the crushed zone radius and show the probability of exceedance for any desired radius.     

深层岩体松动爆破中不耦合装药效应的探讨

基于冲击波在交界面两侧压力和速度必须各自相等的连续性条件,求解爆轰产物中适用的反射波方程和介质中适用的冲击波方程,得到药包周围介质中冲击波的初始参数.通过波的传播机理,把集中药包应力波随距离的衰减公式扩展到延长药包,并计算耦合与不耦合装药爆破时距爆心相同距离处岩石中冲击波的参数.由计算结果可知:(1)耦合装药爆破时形成的冲击波压力超过岩石抗压强度极限几十倍以上,药包周围岩石形成粉碎区;(2)与耦合装药爆破相比,不耦合装药爆破可以降低孔壁处岩石中冲击波初始压力,但可以增加孔壁后岩石中的冲击波压力.合理的不耦合系数,可使岩石不形成粉碎区,大幅度减少能量耗散;(3)水一般认为是非线性弹性介质,因此水介质成为炸药爆轰产物与岩石间的弹性缓冲层,增加了能量传递,延长了冲击波作用时间,加大了爆炸的作用范围.     

施工爆破对确定海底隧道最小岩石覆盖厚度的影响研究

确定海底隧道的最小岩石覆盖厚度是在确保海底隧道安全的基础上减少工程造价的关键。施工爆破对上覆岩石的振动影响着海底隧道最小岩石覆盖厚度的确定。采用FLAC3D模拟了宁波海底隧道钻爆法施工对上覆岩层的动力学影响,分析了海底隧道的底板标高和装药量对上覆岩层交界面的稳定性影响,得到了振动速度、应力波动历时曲线和塑性区大小。通过与萨道夫斯基公式计算结果的对比,综合经济、安全方面的考虑,建议降低装药量,底板线下降2 m。     

岩石爆破损伤模型的比选与改进

归纳了目前应用较为广泛的爆破损伤模型关于损伤变量的定义方法,基于FORTRAN与LS-DYNA自定义接口,将5种典型的爆破损伤模型成功导入LS-DYNA。根据具体的工程实例,对5种爆破损伤模型计算的精确性进行了对比计算和验证。结果表明,KUS模型与RFPA模型对应的结果与实测值更接近。选取计算结果较为准确的KUS模型进行改进,考虑压缩损伤,并修正了宏观弹性常数的确定方法,建立了拉压损伤模型,并对该模型的计算精确性进行验证,结果表明,该拉压损伤模型可以更好地定量描述岩体爆破损伤范围。