Empirical Strength Criterion for Rock Masses

TL;DR: In this article, the mechanical response of inherently anisotropic granular materials has been investigated at both the material and structural levels and a constitutive framework has been developed to describe the mechanical responses of transversely isotropic frictional materials.

TL;DR: This study proposes a theoretical framework for infinite rock slope analysis, examining the influence of tension cut-off and seepage flow on rock slope stability, and provides graphical interpretations to reveal the effects of various parameters on infinite rock slope stability.

Abstract: Double deck tunnels are considered to have a large demand in a near future for solving traffic congestion problems and overcoming the limitations in constructing new tunnels. This study presents a numerical investigation using finite element (FE) analysis on the behaviors of the tunnels and the stability of pillars in a divergence section where single tunnel is diverged from a main line double deck tunnel. The effects of the separation distance between the diverged and the main tunnels and the ground condition were examined through the FE analysis by varying the separation distance from 0.1D to 2.0D (D: diameter of main tunnel) and the rock class from class I to V, respectively, and the analysis results were compared with those using empirical methods, strength-stress ratio, and the volume of interference. The FE analysis results indicated that the separation distance has a larger effect on tunnel behaviors, compared with the rock strength, and a single tunnel with a large cross section is more favorable than two separated

TL;DR: In this paper, coupled hydro-mechanical responses in the fractured volcaniclastic rocks of the Borrowdale Volcanic Group, Sellafield, Cumbria, to a long-term pump test and the proposed shaft sinking phase of Nirex's Rock Characterisation Facility was studied by research teams under the auspices of the DECOVALEX project.