Deformability characteristics of a rock mass under true-triaxial stress compression

Abstract

In this paper an experimental study was planned on rock mass model with three joint sets under triaxial and true-triaxial stress states to assess the influence of joint geometry and stress ratios on deformational behaviour of rock mass. The physical models were composed of three continuous orthogonal joint sets in which joint set-I was inclined at angle θ=0°, 20°, 40°, 60°, 80° and 90° with x-axis, joint set-II was produced at staggering s=0.5 and joint set-III was kept always vertical. Thus, rock mass models with medium interlocked smooth joints (ϕ j =36.8°) were simulated under true triaxial compression (σ1>σ2>σ3). Modulus of rock mass shows anisotropy with joint inclination θ which diminishes with increase in σ2/σ3 ratio. The rock mass at θ=60° shows the highest modulus enhancement (599.9%) whereas it is minimum (32.3%) at θ=90°. Further two empirical expressions for estimation of deformation modulus were suggested based on experimental results, which were developed by incorporating two basic concepts, e.g. Janbu’s coefficients and joint factor, J f.