Numerical simulation of blasting in confined fractured rocks using an immersed-body fluid-solid interaction model
File(s)TUST_accepted.pdf (5.07 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Yang, Pan
Lei, Qinghua
Xiang, Jiansheng
Latham, John-Paul
Pain, Christopher
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We model blast-induced fracturing and fragmentation processes in fractured rocks using a fully coupled fluid-solid interaction model. This model links a finite-discrete element solid solver with a control volume-finite element fluid solver through an immersed-body method. The solid simulator can capture the deformation of intact rocks, interaction of matrix blocks, displacement of existing fractures and propagation of new cracks. The fluid simulator can simulate the highly compressible gas flow involved in the blasting and explosion process, which is assumed to follow the John-Wilkins-Lee equation of state. We design numerical experiments as follows. First, we generate a series of 1 m × 1 m discrete fracture networks associated with different fracture density and mean length values to consider various scenarios of distributed pre-existing fractures in rock. We apply isotropic/anisotropic in-situ stresses to the rock such that the system reaches an equilibrium state. Then we release the compressible gas associated with a prescribed high pressure in the borehole to simulate explosion, which engenders stress wave propagation and new crack generation in the system. We observe that the presence of natural fractures has a significant impact on the blast behaviour of fractured rocks such that new cracks tend to be arrested by pre-existing discontinuities which however accommodate wing cracks at their tips linking with other structures. Blast-driven cracks attempt to propagate along the maximum principal stress direction if an anisotropic stress condition is imposed. Our research findings have important implications for the design and assessment of blasting for underground excavation in fractured formations.
Date Issued
2020-04-01
Date Acceptance
2020-02-06
Citation
Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 2020, 98, pp.1-14
ISSN
0886-7798
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
1
End Page
14
Journal / Book Title
Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology
Volume
98
Copyright Statement
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Sponsor
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Artelia Eau Environnment
Exxon Mobil Upstream Research Company
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000518873900044&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
GR/S42699/01
N/A
itf-ISF-3
EP/H030123/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Technology
Construction & Building Technology
Engineering, Civil
Engineering
Blast
Fractured rock
Fluid-solid coupling
Fracture propagation
Fragmentation
FINITE-ELEMENT
LENGTH DISTRIBUTION
CONSTITUTIVE MODEL
DETONATION-WAVES
INDUCED DAMAGE
GAS
FRAGMENTATION
FLOW
PROPAGATION
NETWORKS
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 103352
Date Publish Online
2020-02-17