Method for Identifying and Analyzing 3D Surface Blocks of Rock Mass Structures
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 139, Issue 10
Abstract
Rock mass structures are key factors that control and influence the stability of foundation engineering, underground engineering, and slope engineering. Based on the traditional plane block theory, a new approach of three-dimensional (3D) surface block identification and analysis is put forward. The 3D rock mass model integrated geological structures with stochastic rock structural network planes were first built according to the given mathematical definition of surface blocks. Then, subject to the four principles of closure, completeness, uniqueness, and validity, the proposed method can search, identify, and analyze key free blocks and constraint blocks. This approach was applied to study the rock blocks of a developed hydropower project and offers a new measure for rock mass stability analysis and control.
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 National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants 51009106 and 51021004), the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (Grant 2013CB035903), and the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University of Ministry of Education of China (Grant NCET-12-0404). The authors thank Gang Wang and China Three Gorges Corporation for helping obtain the useful photos, Vaughan Griffiths, the editor, and the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments and suggestions that helped improve the quality of this manuscript. The authors also thank Jennifer Parresol for her enthusiastic work on this paper.
References
Baecher, G. B., Lanney, N. A., and Einstein, H. H. (1977). “Statistical description of rock properties and sampling.” Proc., 18th U.S. Symp. on Rock Mechanics (USRMS), Colorado School of Mines Press, Golden, CO, 501–508.
Chan, L. Y. (1987). Application of block theory and simulation techniques to optimum design of rock excavations, Univ. of California–Berkeley, Berkeley, CA.
Chen, S. H., Li, Y. M., Wang, W. M., and Shahrour, I. (2004). “Analysis of gravity dam on a complicated rock foundation using an adaptive block element method.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 130(7), 759–763.
Chen, S. H., Wang, W. M., Zheng, H. F., and Shahrour, I. (2010). “Block element method for the seismic stability of rock slope.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 136(12), 1610–1617.
Dershowitz, W. S., and Einstein, H. H. (1988). “Characterizing rock joint geometry with joint system models.” Rock Mech. Rock Eng., 21(1), 21–51.
Elmouttie, M., Poropat, G., and Krähenbühl, G. (2010). “Polyhedral modelling of underground excavations.” Comput. Geotech., 37(4), 529–535.
González-Palacio, C., Menéndez-Díaz, A., Álvarez-Vigil, A. E., and González-Nicieza, C. (2005). “Identification of non-pyramidal key blocks in jointed rock masses for tunnel excavation.” Comput. Geotech., 32(3), 179–200.
Goodman, R. E. (1989). Introduction to rock mechanics, 2nd Ed., Wiley, New York.
Goodman, R. E. (1995). “Block theory and its application.” Geotechnique, 45(3), 383–423.
Goodman, R. E., and Powell, C. (2003). “Investigations of blocks in foundations and abutments of concrete dams.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 129(2), 105–126.
Goodman, R. E., and Shi, G. H. (1985). Block theory and its application to rock engineering, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Hoerger, S. F. (1988). Probabilistic and deterministic keyblock analyses for excavation design, Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI.
Ikegawa, Y., and Hudson, J. A. (1992). “A novel automatic identification system for three-dimensional multi-block systems.” Eng. Computat., 9(2), 169–179.
Jing, L. (2003). “A review of techniques, advances and outstanding issues in numerical modelling for rock mechanics and rock engineering.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci., 40(3), 283–353.
Kalenchuk, K. S., Diederichs, M. S., and McKinnon, S. (2006). “Characterizing block geometry in jointed rockmasses.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci., 43(8), 1212–1225.
Kottenstette, J. T. (1997). “Block theory techniques used in arch dam foundation stability analysis.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min., 34(3–4), 163.e1–e19.
Lee, I. M., and Park, J. K. (2000). “Stability analysis of tunnel keyblock: A case study.” Tunn. Undergr. Space Technol., 15(4), 453–462.
Lin, D., Fairhurst, C., and Starfield, A. M. (1987). “Geometrical identification of three-dimensional rock block systems using topological techniques.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min. Sci. Geomech. Abstr., 24(6), 331–338.
Liu, J., Li, Z. K., and Zhang, Z. Y. (2004). “Stability analysis of block in the surrounding rock mass of a large underground excavation.” Tunn. Undergr. Space Technol., 19(1), 35–44.
Lu, J. (2002). “Systematic identification of polyhedral rock blocks with arbitrary joints and faults.” Comput. Geotech., 29(1), 49–72.
Mito Y., Kikuchi K., Hirano I., and Sadahiro, T. (1997). “Stochastic block theory for initial support decision of large slope.” Int. J. Rock Mech. Min., 34 (3–4), 202.e1–e19.
Warburton, P. M. (1985). “A computer program for reconstructing blocky rock geometry and analyzing single block stability.” Comput. Geosci., 11(6), 707–712.
Yarahmadi Bafghi, A. R., and Verdel, T. (2004). “The probabilistic key-group method.” Int. J. Numer. Anal. Methods Geomech., 28(9), 899–917.
Yu, Q., Ohnishi, Y., Xue, G., and Chen, D. (2009). “A generalized procedure to identify three-dimensional rock blocks around complex excavations.” Int. J. Numer. Anal. Methods Geomech., 33(3), 355–375.
Zhong, D. H., and Li, M. C. (2006). Theories and applications of 3D engineering-geological modeling and analysis to hydraulic and hydroelectric projects, China WaterPower Press, Beijing.
Zhong, D. H., Li, M. C., Song, L. G., and Wang, G. (2006). “Enhanced NURBS modeling and visualization for large 3D geoengineering applications: An example from the Jinping first-level hydropower engineering project, China.” Comput. Geosci., 32(9), 1270–1282.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 139 • Issue 10 • October 2013
Pages: 1756 - 1764
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 24, 2011
Accepted: Dec 10, 2012
Published online: Dec 12, 2012
Published in print: Oct 1, 2013
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.