We found a match
Your institution may have rights to this item. Sign in to continue.
- Title
Quantitative Evaluation of the Effects of Input Parameter Heterogeneity on Model Behavior for Bonded Block Models of Laboratory Rock Specimens.
- Authors
West, Isabella; Walton, Gabriel
- Abstract
Bonded block models (BBMs) have become increasingly common for simulation of laboratory-scale rock samples in unconfined compressive strength and triaxial compression tests. BBMs require input parameters that describe the deformation of the blocks themselves (block properties), as well as the interactions between blocks (contact properties). Previous studies have found that incorporating heterogeneity of input parameters into BBMs is necessary to match all attributes of rock behavior, but little is known about the specific effects that the heterogeneity of these properties have on individual aspects of the overall behavior of the BBM. Therefore, this study presents a parametric study on the heterogeneity of elastic block and contact input parameters. Such input parameters were tested separately by varying the degree of heterogeneity between block or contact types, while keeping the weighted average of each given property constant for all simulations. Trends were analyzed for simulations under unconfined and confined conditions with 12 MPa of pressure. Rock specimen properties were computed from the model results including Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, unconfined compressive strength and peak strength, crack initiation (CI) and crack damage (CD) parameters, and peak dilation angle. While several minor influences of heterogeneity on macroscopic properties were noted, the primary influence was that of contact peak cohesion heterogeneity on CD. Additionally, while the heterogeneity of no individual parameter was found to influence CI, when degrees of heterogeneity for all parameters were varied simultaneously, this had a significant effect on CI (as well as CD). Highlights: Compression test simulations were run on a laboratory-scale bonded block models (BBMs) of Blanco Mera Granite. Sensitivity analyses were performed to investigate the effects that the heterogeneity of each input parameter has on the emergent behavior of the model. Contact peak cohesion has a notable effect on the unconfined compressive strength and crack damage stress of the model. The crack initiation stress was relatively insensitive to changes in individual model parameters, but responded to a simultaneous increase in heterogeneity of multiple parameters.
- Subjects
POISSON'S ratio; HETEROGENEITY; COHESION; YOUNG'S modulus; ROCK properties; COMPRESSIVE strength
- Publication
Rock Mechanics & Rock Engineering, 2023, Vol 56, Issue 10, p7129
- ISSN
0723-2632
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00603-023-03248-9