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Analysis of Controlling Parameters for Shear behavior of Rock Joints with FLAC3D

Prasoon Tiwari1, Prasoon Tiwari1, and Omer F. Usluogullari2
1. Professional Service Industries, Inc. (PSI), Geotechnical Services Department, Houston, USA
2.Civil Engineering Department, Turgut Ozal University, Ankara, Turkey

Abstract—The research aims at performing analysis to determine the sensitivity of parameters affecting the strength of joints in rock mass. Friction angle, normal stiffness, shear stiffness and shear displacement are the parameters analyzed with respect to shear strength of rock joints. Discontinuities have an important influence on the deformational behavior of rock systems; hence, proper consideration of the physical and mechanical properties of discontinuities is necessary during experimental investigation in order to correctly evaluate the shear behavior. These parameters are utilized to simulate the insitu stress condition in numerical modeling, which is important for safe and economical design of various engineering constructions. These parameters can be obtained through laboratory testing on natural rock core samples. In the present work, the detailed account of test results of direct shear tests performed on rock joints is presented. Rock samples, containing joint are obtained by core drilling in an underground mine, in Nevada, and are used to perform direct shear strength test. Calibration of numerical model is done on average values obtained from direct shear strength test. Analysis of sensitivity of parameters effecting shear strength of rock is done in FLAC3D shear test environment. A numerical parametric study is done, according to the Mohr-Coulomb constitutive model, and results obtained are plotted to estimate performance of rock joints.   

Index Terms—FLAC3D, numerical modeling, rock joints, shear strength

Cite: Prasoon Tiwari, Hakan Sahin, and Omer F. Usluogullari, "Analysis of Controlling Parameters for Shear behavior of Rock Joints with FLAC3D," International Journal of Structural and Civil Engineering Research, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 62-66, February 2016. doi: 10.18178/ijscer.5.1.62-66