Using UDEC 6 and the shear-reduction method to calculate the factor-of-safety, this tutorial will show you how to analyze the stability of a simple slope containing: (1) no discrete jointing (continuum), (2) fully-continuous jointing (discrete blocks), and (3) noncontinuous, en echelon jointing.
This video is a recording of a one hour webinar reviewing the latest features in Version 5.2 of 3DEC. Presented by Dr. Jim Hazzard, 3DEC Product Manager and Lead Developer.
As well as flow through joints, 3DEC 5.2 is capable of simulating fluid flow through the blocks or the matrix (i.e., between the joints). It is assumed that the blocks represent a saturated, permeable solid, such as soil or fractured rock mass.
We derive the relationships that link the general elastic properties of rock masses to the geometrical properties of fracture networks, with a special emphasis to the case of frictional crack surfaces.
We extend the well-known elastic solutions for free-slipping cracks to fractures whose plane resistance is defined by an elastic fracture (shear) stiffness ks and a stick-slip Coulomb threshold.
This paper presents the formulation of a constitutive model to simulate the behavior of foliated rock mass. The 3D elastoplastic constitutive model, called Comba, accounts for the presence of arbitrary orientations of weakness in a nonisotropic elastoplastic matrix.
It has become common practice to create a three-dimensional (3-D) geomechanical model for the analysis of rock stability.