Image‐based simulation of complex fracture networks by numerical manifold method

Abstract

AbstractComplex geometric features of fracture networks contained in rock masses can be captured by digital images quickly and accurately. However, the continuous and discontinuous deformation simulation of rock masses directly based on digital images is still challenging. Based on the Numerical Manifold Method (NMM), a simple and efficient image‐based simulation method is developed for rock masses containing complex fracture networks. A new crack model, named as “voxel crack model,” is generated based on pixel values of the digital image and a user‐defined resolution. With the voxel crack model, physical cover and manifold elements in NMM are then efficiently generated for complex fracture networks. After this, the continuous and discontinuous displacement fields of rock masses are simulated straightforwardly. In the present work, conventionally burdensome tasks, like boundary detections to transform digital images into computer aided design (CAD) models, generating conforming meshes, and explicitly tracking of fracture surfaces, are avoided. Several benchmarks validate the developed method. The calculated continuous and discontinuous deformation field of the San Leo rock slope containing a complex fracture network demonstrates the capability of the proposed method for practical engineering application.