Numerical simulation of multiple fracture zones in underground dynamic loading processes

Abstract

The excavation fracture responses around cavities in rock mass with initial stress were examined using three dimensional numerical modelling. In addition to the primary fractured zone in near field, numerical modelling generated the second fractured zone in far field, and an elastic non-fractured zone between the two fractured zones, i.e., the fractured zones and the non-fractured zone occur alternately around deep cavity. This finding proved that the zonal disintegration phenomenon can occur in underground excavation process.