Simulation of rock deformation and mechanical characteristics using clump parallel-bond models

Abstract

To properly simulate hard rock with a high ratio of the uniaxial compressive strength to tensile strength (UCS/TS) and realistic strength-failure envelope, the rock deformation and mechanical characteristics were discussed in detail when the particle simulation method with the clump parallel-bond model (CPBM) was used to conduct a series of numerical experiments at the specimen scale. Meanwhile, the effects of the loading procedure and crack density on the mechanical behavior of a specimen, which was modeled by the particle simulation method with the CPBM, were investigated. The related numerical results have demonstrated that: 1) The uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), tensile strength (TS) and elastic modulus are overestimated when the conventional loading procedure is used in the particle simulation method with the CPBM; 2) The elastic modulus, strength and UCS/TS decrease, while Poisson ratio increases with the increase of the crack density in the particle simulation method with the CPBM; 3) The particle simulation method with the CPBM can be used to reproduce a high value of UCS/TS(>10), as well as a high friction angle and reasonable cohesion strength; 4) As the confining pressure increases, both the peak strength of the simulated specimen and the number of microscopic cracks increase, but the ratio of tensile cracks number to shear cracks number decreases in the particle simulation method with the CPBM; 5) Compared with the conventional parallel-bond model, the CPBM can be used to reproduce more accurate results for simulating the rock deformation and mechanical characteristics.