Optimization of structural contact stiffness and strength for discrete simulation of progressive failure of healed structure

Geotechnical analysis for underground excavation design in complex tectonic environments requires an increased understanding and more rigorous consideration of the impact of healed or "intrablock" structure, such as veins, on rockmass behaviour. Intrablock structure occurs between blocks of rock defined and bounded by "interblock structure", the network of joints and other fractures conventionally considered in classic rockmass characterization, classification or rockmass property estimation. Discrete simulation of fractures has become a more commonplace model analysis technique for excavations in jointed rockmasses. Here too, however, special attention is required to simulate intrablock structure within the model. In particular, the selection and evolution of stiffness and strength values for the model discontinuity elements must follow a different logic than that adopted for fractures and true joints. A new concept to better represent the behaviour of intrablock structure in explicit numerical models is proposed and tested in this paper by means of finite element method (FEM) analysis and case study data from a 1, 200 m deep drift. This approach changes the stiffness and strength values of failed intrablock structural elements between pre-peak ("primary"), post-peak ("secondary"), and ultimate ("tertiary") states. The FEM models in the tertiary state match 96 % of overbreak patterns along the case drift, versus 80 % in primary state models. These findings suggest that the proposed method is a good option to more accurately model the influence of intrablock structure on rockmass behaviour.