Investigating the Relationship Between Far-Field Stress and Local Values of the Stress Tensor

Abstract

In situ stress is an important parameter in rock mechanics, thus robust estimation of far–field stress to be used as boundary loadings for further rock engineering analysis based on the local in situ stress data seems indispensable. Here, as part of a preliminary investigation into this problem, we use the combined finite–discrete element method to examine how the mean of local stress tensors is related to the far–field stress. We have conducted a series of stress simulations on a model of a fractured rock mass subjected to various boundary loadings, and calculated the Euclidean mean of the stress data and compared them with the boundary loadings. The results shows that the Euclidean mean and boundary loadings are approximately equal, which gives us an indication that the Euclidean mean of the stress data can be a reasonable estimation of the far–field stress.