Modeling the Impact of a Falling Rock Cluster on Rigid Structures
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 18, Issue 2
Abstract
Rockfall is a common geological hazard in mountainous areas and can pose great danger to people and properties. Understanding the impact forces induced by a single rock or a rock cluster on retaining structures is considered key in the analysis and design of protection barriers. This study presents the results of small-scale laboratory experiments conducted to measure the impact forces induced by a group of rocks moving down a rough slope on a barrier wall. The effect of slope inclination angle and wall location on the impact pressure acting on the wall was examined. A three-dimensional discrete element model was then proposed and used to study the behavior of the rock cluster under different geometric conditions. Rocks were modeled using polydisperse clumps in which each clump consisted of several overlapping spherical particles to account for the shape effect of the falling rocks. First, the model was validated by comparing the measured and calculated forces, and then, it was used to investigate the role of different material and geometric parameters on the impact behavior. Conclusions were made regarding the role of modeling the irregular rock shapes and the roughness of the slope surface on the behavior impacted by the travel mode for different slope angles.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The financial support provided by the Faculty of Engineering at McGill University to the first author is greatly appreciated.
References
Agliardi, F., and Crosta, G. B. (2003). “High resolution three-dimensional numerical modelling of rockfalls.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci., 40(4), 455–471.
Agliardi, F., Crosta, G. B., and Frattini, P. (2009). “Integrating rockfall risk assessment and countermeasure design by 3D modelling techniques.” Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 9, 1059–1073.
Ahmed, M. R., Tran, V. D. H. and Meguid, M. A. (2015). “On the role of geogrid reinforcement in reducing earth pressure on buried pipes: Experimental and numerical investigations.” Soils Found., 55(3), 588–599.
Alejano, L., Pons, B., Bastante, F., Alonso, E., and Stockhausen, H. (2007). “Slope geometry design as a means for controlling rockfalls in quarries.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci., 44(6), 903–921.
Ashayer, P. (2007). “Application of rigid body impact mechanics and discrete element modeling to rockfall simulation.” Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Toronto, Toronto.
Basson, F. R. P. (2012). “Rigid body dynamics for rock fall trajectory simulation.” 46th U.S. Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symp., American Rock Mechanics Association, Richardson, TX.
Bonilla-Sierra, V., Scholtès, L., Donzé, F. V., and Elmouttie, M. (2015). “Rock slope stability analysis using photogrammetric data and DFN–DEM modelling.” Acta Geotech., 10(4), 497–511.
Chau, K. T., Wong, R. H. C., and Wu, J. J. (2002). “Coefficient of restitution and rotational motions of rockfall impacts.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci., 39(1), 69–77.
Chen, G., Zheng, L., Zhang, Y., and Wu, J. (2013). “Numerical simulation in rockfall analysis: A close comparison of 2-D and 3-D DDA.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng., 46(3), 527–541.
Cho, N., Martin, C. D., and Sego, D. C. (2007). “A clumped particle model for rock.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci., 44(7), 997–1010.
Cundall, P. A., and Strack, O. D. L. (1979). “A discrete numerical model for granular assemblies.” Géotechnique, 29(1), 47–65.
Descouedres, F., and Zimmermann, T. (1987). “Three-dimensional dynamic calculation of rockfalls.” Proc., 6th Int. Congress on Rock Mechanics, G. Herget and S. Vongpaisal, eds., CRC, Boca Raton, FL, 337–342.
Frattini, P., Crosta, G., Carrara, A., and Agliardi, F. (2008). “Assessment of rockfall susceptibility by integrating statistical and physically-based approaches.” Geomorphology, 94, 419–437.
Giani, G. P., Giacomini, A., Migliazza, M., and Segalini, A. (2004). “Experimental and theoretical studies to improve rock fall analysis and protection work design.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng., 37(5), 369–389.
Guzzetti, F., Crosta, G., Detti, R., and Agliardi, F. (2002). “STONE: A computer program for the three-dimensional simulation of rock-falls.” Comput. Geosci., 28(9), 1079–1093.
Indraratna, B., Ngo, N. T., Rujikiatkamjorn, C., and Vinod, J. S. (2014). “Behavior of fresh and fouled railway ballast subjected to direct shear testing: Discrete element simulation.” Int. J. Geomech., 34–44.
Itasca Consulting Group. (2014). Particle flow code in three dimensions (PFC3D), Minneapolis.
Kishi, N., Ikeda, K., Konno, H., and Kawase, R. (2000). “Prototype impact test on rockfall retaining walls and its numerical simulation.” 6th Int. Conf., Structures under Shock and Impact VI, C. A. Brebbia and N. Jones, eds., WIT, Southampton, U.K., 351–360.
Li, W. C., Li, H. J., Dai, F. C., and Lee, L. M. (2012). “Discrete element modeling of a rainfall-induced flowslide.” Eng. Geol., 149, 22–34.
Lin, C. H., and Lin, M. L. (2015). “Evolution of the large landslide induced by Typhoon Morakot: A case study in the Butangbunasi River, southern Taiwan using the discrete element method.” Eng. Geol., 197, 172–187.
Lo, C. Y., Bolton, M. D., and Cheng, Y. P. (2010). “Velocity fields of granular flows down a rough incline: A DEM investigation.” Granular Matter, 12(5), 477–482.
Lu, M., and McDowell, G. R. (2010). “Discrete element modelling of railway ballast under monotonic and cyclic triaxial loading.” Géotechnique, 60(6), 459–467.
Magnier, S. A., and Donzé, F. (1998). “Numerical simulations of impacts using a discrete element method.” Mech. Cohesion-Frictional. Mater., 3(3), 257–276.
McDowell, G., Li, H., and Lowndes, I. (2011). “The importance of particle shape in discrete-element modelling particle flow in a chute.” Géotechnique Lett., 1(3), 59–64.
Nicot, F., Cambou, B., and Mazzoleni, G. (2001). “Design of rockfall restraining nets from a discrete element modelling.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng., 34(2), 99–118.
Oda, M., and Iwashita, K. (1999). Mechanics of granular materials: An introduction, CRC, Boca Raton, FL.
PFC3D [Computer software]. Itasca Consulting Group, Minneapolis.
Plassiard, J.-P., and Donzé, F.-V. (2009). “Rockfall impact parameters on embankments: A discrete element method analysis.” Struct. Eng. Int., 19(3), 333–341.
Rhino 5.0 [Computer software]. Robert McNeel & Associates, Seattle.
Ritchie, A. M. (1963). “The evaluation of rockfall and its control.” Highway Record No. 17, Committee on Landslide Investigations, Washington State Highway Commission, Olympia, WA, 13–28.
Spadari, M., Giacomini, A., Buzzi, O., Fityus, S., and Giani, G. P. (2012). “In situ rockfall testing in New South Wales, Australia.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci., 49, 84–93.
Stahl, M., and Konietzky, H. (2011). “Discrete element simulation of ballast and gravel under special consideration of grain-shape, grain-size and relative density.” Granular Matter, 13(4), 417–428.
Stronge, W. J. (2000). Impact mechanics, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K.
Taghavi, R. (2011). “Automatic clump generation based on mid-surface.” 2nd International FLAC/DEM Symposium, Continuum and Distinct Element Numerical Modeling in Geomechanics, Vol. 1, Itasca Consulting Group, Minneapolis, 791–797.
Thoeni, K., Giacomini, A., Lambert, C., Sloan, S. W., and Carter, J. P. (2014). “A 3D discrete element modelling approach for rockfall analysis with drapery systems.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci., 68(Jun), 107–119.
Turner, A. K., and Schuster, R. L. (2013). Rockfall characterization and control, Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC.
Wang, Y., and Tonon, F. (2011). “Discrete element modeling of rock fragmentation upon impact in rock fall analysis.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng., 44(1), 23–35.
Wei, L.-W., et al. (2014). “The mechanism of rockfall disaster: A case study from Badouzih, Keelung, in northern Taiwan.” Eng. Geol., 183, 116–126.
Zhao, T. (2014). “Investigation of landslide-induced debris flows by the DEM and CFD.” Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Oxford, Oxford, U.K.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 12, 2016
Accepted: Jul 31, 2017
Published online: Nov 28, 2017
Published in print: Feb 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Apr 28, 2018
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.