• Computers and Concrete
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.429-437
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• 2017

In this study, the effect of the tensile strength and ratio of disc spacing to penetration depth on the efficiency of tunnel boring machine (TBM) is investigated using Particle flow code (PFC) in two dimensions. Models with dimensions of $150{\times}70mm$ made of rocks with four different tensile strength values of 5 MPa, 10 MPa, 15 MPa and 20 MPa were separately analyzed and two "U" shape cutters with width of 10 mm were penetrated into the rock model by velocity rate of 0.1 mm/s. The spacing between cutters was also varied in this study. Failure patterns for 5 different penetration depths of 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, and 7 mm were registered. Totally 100 indentation test were performed to study the optimal tool-rock interaction. An equation relating mechanical rock properties with geometric characteristics for the optimal TBM performance is proposed. The results of numerical simulations show that the effective rock-cutting condition corresponding to the minimum specific energy can be estimated by an optimized disc spacing to penetration depth, which, in fact, is found to be proportional to the rock's tensile strength.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.461-476
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• 2022

Research studies on the scale effect on triaxial strength of intact rocks are scarce, being more common those in uniaxial strength. In this paper, the authors present and briefly interpret the peak and residual strength trends on a series of triaxial tests on different size specimens (30 mm to 84 mm diameter) of an intact granitic rock at confinements ranging from 0 to 15 MPa. Peak strength tends to grow from smaller to standard-size samples (54 mm) and then diminishes for larger values at low confinement. However, a slight change in strength is observed at higher confinements. Residual strength is observed to be much less size-dependent. Additionally, this study introduces preliminary modelling approaches of these laboratory observations with the help of three-dimensional particle flow code (PFC3D) simulations based on bonded particle models (BPM). Based on previous studies, two modelling approaches have been followed. In the first one, the maximum and minimum particle diameter (D_max and D_min) are kept constant irrespective of the sample size, whereas in the second one, the resolution (number of particles within the sample or ϕ_v) was kept constant. Neither of these approaches properly represent the observations in actual laboratory tests, even if both of them show some interesting capabilities reported in this document. Eventually, some suggestions are provided to proceed towards improving modelling approaches to represent observed scale effects.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.438-447
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• 2007

This technical report is to introduce the research on SRM (Synthetic Rock Mass) which was presented in 2007 ISRM Congress at Lisbon by Prof, Fairhurst who speak with emphasis on its importance and potential in rock engineering. The Synthetic Rock Mass approach to jointed rock mass characterization (Pierce et al. 2007) is reviewed relative to existing empirical approaches and current understanding of jointed rock mass behaviour. The review illustrates how the key factors affecting the mechanical behaviour of jointed rock masses may be considered and demonstrates that the SRM approach constitutes a significant step forward in this field. This technique, based on two well-established methods, Bonded Particle Modelling in PFC-3D (Potyondy and Cundall, 2004) and Discrete Fracture Network simulation, employs a new sliding joint model that allows for large rock volumes containing thousands of pre-existing joints to be subjected to any non-trivial stress path. Output from SRM testing includes rock mass brittleness and strength, evolution of the full compliance matrix and primary fragmentation.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.623-635
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• 2018

In order to research the influence of different recycled aggregate contents on the mechanical properties of pervious concrete, the experimental study and numerical simulation analysis of the mechanical properties of pervious concrete with five kinds of recycled aggregates contents (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) are carried out in this paper. The experimental test were first performed on concrete specimens of different sizes in order to determine the influence of recycled aggregate on the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength, direct tension strength and bending strength. Then, the development of the internal cracks of pervious concrete under different working conditions is studied more intuitively by $PFC^{3D}$. The experimental results show that the concrete compressive strength, tensile strength and bending strength decrease with the increase of the recycled aggregate contents. This trend of reduction is not only related to the brittleness of recycled aggregate concrete, but also to the weak viscosity of recycled aggregate and cement paste. It is found that the fracture surface of pervious concrete with recycled aggregate is smoother than that of natural aggregate pervious concrete by $PFC^{3D}$, which means that the bridging effect is weakened in the stress transfer between the left and right sides of the crack. Through the analysis of the development of the internal cracks, the recycled aggregate concrete generated more cracks than the natural aggregate concrete, which means that the recycled aggregate concrete is easier to form a coalescence fracture surface and eventually break.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.675-687
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• 2018

In the previous studies on the porous rock strength the effect of pore number and its diameter is not explicitly defined. In this paper crack initiation, propagation and coalescence in Brazilian model disc containing a single cylindrical hole and or multiple holes have been studied numerically using PFC3D. In model with internal hole, the ratio of hole diameter to model diameter was varied between 0.03, 0.17, 0.25, 0.33, and 0.42. In model with multiple hole number of holes was different in various model, i.e., one hole, two holes, three holes, four holes, five holes, six holes, seven holes, eight holes and nine holes. Diameter of these holes was 5 mm, 10 mm and 12 mm. The pre-holed Brazilian discs are numerically tested under Brazilian test. The breakage load in the ring type disc specimens containing an internal hole with varying diameters is measured. The mechanism of cracks propagation in the wall of the ring type specimens is also studied. In the case of multi-hole Brazilian disc, the cracks propagation and b cracks coalescence are also investigated. The results shows that breaking of the pre-holed disc specimens is due to the propagation of radially induced tensile cracks initiated from the surface of the central hole and propagating toward the direction of diametrical loading. In the case of disc specimens with multiple holes, the cracks propagation and cracks coalescence may occur simultaneously in the breaking process of model under diametrical compressive loading. Finally the results shows that the failure stress and crack initiation stress decreases by increasing the hole diameter. Also, the failure stress decreases by increasing the number of hole which mobilized in failure. The results of these simulations were comprised with other experimental and numerical test results. It has been shown that the numerical and experimental results are in good agreement with each other.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.321-336
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• 2012

The shear behavior at the particle/surface interface such as rock joint can determine the mechanical behavior of whole structure. Therefore, a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms governing its behavior and accurately estimation of the interface strength is essential. In this paper, PFC, a numerical analysis program of discrete element method was used to investigate the effects of the surface roughness crushing on interface strength. The surface roughness was characterized by smooth, intermediate, and rough surface, respectively. Particle shape was classified into one ball model of circular shape and 3 ball model of triangular shape. The surface shape was modelled by wall model of non-crushing surface and ball model of crushing surface. The results showed that as the bonding strength of ball model decreases, lower interface strength is induced. After the surface roughness crushing was occurred, the interface strength tended to converge and higher bonding strength induced lower surface roughness crushing. Higher friction angle was induced in wall model and higher surface roughness induced the higher friction angle. From these findings, it is verified that the surface roughness and surface roughness crushing effect on the particle/surface interface shear behavior.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.261-275
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• 2012

This paper presents numerical analysis of the mud cake infiltration behaviour which is influenced tunnel face stability during excavation by slurry shield TBM. This analysis method can make useful data to select proper shield TBM type and to set up the construction plan. But effective analysis did not proposed until now. In this paper, we carried out numerical analysis using by $PFC^{2D}$ fluid coupling simulation which is suitable for sandy soil modelling. As a analysis result, we checked that the slurry infiltration behaviour varied with soil permeability and slurry characteristic(specific weight, viscosity etc). This analysis method is helpful safety excavation through anticipating the proper slurry viscosity at the design stage and verifying the slurry quality at initial excavation stage.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.151-163
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• 2011

The LCM test is one of the most powerful and reliable methods for designing the disc cutter and for predicting the TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) performance. It has an advantage to predict the actual load on disc cutter from the laboratory test on the real-size large rock samples, however, it also has a disadvantage to transport and/or prepare the large rock samples and to need an extra cost for experiment. Moreover it is not easy to execute the test for jointed rock mass, and sometimes the design model estimated from the test can not be applied to the real design of disc cutter. In order to break this critical point, lots of numerical studies have been performed. PFC2D can simulate crack propagation and rock fragmentation effectively, because it is useful in particle flow analysis. Consequently, in this study, the PFC2D has been adopted for numerical analysis on cutting power of disc cutter according to the different angle of joint, the different direction of joint, and the different space of joint with jointed rock mass models. From the numerical analyses, it was concluded that the bigger cutting power of disc cutter was needed for reverse cutting direction to joint rather than for forward direction, and the cutting power of disc cutter was increased with decreasing the dip angle of joint and decreasing the space of joints in reverse cutting direction. The more precise numerical model for disc cutter can be developed from comparison between the numerical results and LCM test results, and the resonable guideline is expected for prediction of TBM performance and disc cutter.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.207-221
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• 2023

In this investigation, the interaction between opening space and neighboring joint has been examined by experimental test and Particle flow code in two dimension (PFC2D) simulation. Since, firs of all PFC was calibrated using Brazilian experimental test and uniaxial compression test. Secondly, diverse configurations of opening and neighboring joint were provided and tested by uniaxial test. 12 rectangular sample with dimension of 10 cm*10 cm was prepared from gypsum mixture. One quarter of tunnel and one and or two joint were drilled into the sample. Tunnel diameter was 5.5 cm. The angularities of joint in physical test were 0°, 45° and 90°. The angularities of joint in numerical simulation were 0°, 30°, 60°, -30°, -45°, -60° and its length were 2cm and 4cm. Loading rate was 0.016 m/s. Tensile strength of material was 4.5 MPa. Results shows that dominant type of crack which took place in the model was tensile cracks and or several shear bands develop within the model. The Final stress is minimum in the cases where oriented angle is negative. The failure stress decrease by decreasing the joint angle from 30° to 60°. In addition, the failure stress decrease by incrementing the joint angle from -30° to -60°. The failure stress was incremented by decreasing the number of notches. The failure stress was incremented by decreasing the joint length. The failure stress was incremented by decreasing the number of notches. Comparing experimental results and numerical one, showed that the failure stress is approximately identical in both conditions.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.43-52
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• 2014

PURPOSES : To solve problems in current compaction control DCPT(Dynamic Cone Penetrometer Test), highly correlated with various testing methods, simple, and economic is being applied. However, it、s hard to utilize DCPT results due to the few numerical analyses for DCPT have been performed and the lack of data accumulation. Therefore, this study tried to verify the validation of numerical modeling for DCPT by comparing and analyzing the results of numerical analyses with field tests. METHODS: The ground elastic modulus and PR(Penetration Rate) value were estimated by using PFC(Particle Flow Code) 3D program based on the discrete element method. Those values were compared and analyzed with the result of field tests. Also, back analysis was conducted to describe ground elastic modulus of field tests. RESULTS : Relative errors of PR value between the numerical analyses and field tests were calculated to be comparatively low. Also, the relationship between elastic modulus and PR value turned out to be similar. CONCLUSIONS : Numerical modeling of DCPT is considered to be suitable for describing field tests by carrying out numerical analysis using PFC 3D program.