• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.3-12
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• 2001

This paper presents the proposed methods of DE (distinct element) modelling to estimate the stability of tunnels in jointed rock masses. First, the criterion to select the joint set(s) contributed to the discontinuous behaviour in a tunnel section is proposed. Selected joint set(s) is(are) considered to form the edges of distinct elements (rock blocks) and the others to modify the elastic properties of rock blocks. The complex DE model with the average and the deviation of joint orientation and joint length for each joint set was compared to the simple model with only the average of joint orientation and the assumption that joint length is infinite. As a result, the latter is suitable to the purpose of tunnel design because it can show the consistent behaviour of a jointed rock mass such as the locally discontinuous failure and the global anisotropic behaviour.