Numerical analysis in rock engineering

Abstract

Rock engineering is the study used when designing any structures built in or on rocks. These structures include building foundations, dams, tunnels, slopes and mines. Adequate knowledge on how rock mass responses to different loadings and the factors that affect the response are of very great importance in most Civil Engineering works.

This project aims to study the response of rock mass under dynamic loadings. The scope of the project can be classified as two main categories: 1) Understanding the fundamental properties of rock mass and 2) Investigating the influence of various analysis parameters on the accuracy of Discontinuous Deformation Analysis (DDA).

DDA is a computer program commonly used to study the response of rock mass under static and dynamic loadings with discontinuities. Together with a brief introduction on DDA, this report will also illustrate the results the program generated when various analysis parameters (such as time step, measure points and joint properties) were altered. The results from DDA showed the stresses as well as displacement in x and y-direction and that will give good comparisons of the different effects various parameters had on different part of the rock mass.

The results showed that joint properties also affected the amount of resultant displacement and shear failure of a rock mass. A rock mass can be more rigid when it has strong joints. That will mean the same rock mass will have a greater amount of displacement and shear failure. Therefore, joint properties of a rock mass are deemed as important factors when analyzing responses of a rock mass due to loading.

Through all the results from DDA, we can have a better understanding on the different effects displacements, joint properties and load had on different parts of a rock mass.