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Rock Mechanics.pdf - Mining and Blasting

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Figure 7.10 Shear stress/normal<br />

stress ratio on a plane of weakness<br />

close to, but not intersecting, a circular<br />

excavation.<br />

EXCAVATION DESIGN IN MASSIVE ELASTIC ROCK<br />

The value of the ratio /n determined from these expressions is plotted for various<br />

points along the plane of weakness in Figure 7.10b.<br />

The peak value of the shear stress/normal stress ratio corresponds to a mobilised<br />

angle of friction of about 24 ◦ . If the angle of friction for the plane of weakness<br />

exceeds 24 ◦ , no slip is predicted on the plane, <strong>and</strong> the elastic stress distribution can<br />

be maintained.<br />

For a plane of weakness with an angle of friction of 20 ◦ , the extent of the predicted<br />

zone of slip is shown in Figure 7.10b. Clearly a zone of slip is also predicted for the<br />

reflection of the depicted zone about the vertical centreline of the excavation. For<br />

both zones, the sense of slip produces inward displacement of rock on the underside<br />

of the plane of weakness. This would be expressed as increased boundary stresses in<br />

the segment between the fault <strong>and</strong> the excavation. The effect of the fault is to deflect<br />

<strong>and</strong> concentrate the stress trajectories in the region between the excavation <strong>and</strong> the<br />

fault.<br />

The following comments are offered to establish some practical guidelines for<br />

the type of analysis described above. First, the procedures indicate whether inelastic<br />

effects such as separation <strong>and</strong> slip on planes of weakness are likely to be significant<br />

in the performance of an excavation. If the zones of inelastic response are small<br />

relative to the dimensions of the excavation, their effect on the stress distribution<br />

around the excavation may reasonably be ignored. If the zones are relatively large,<br />

the stress distribution around the opening can be determined only by comprehensive<br />

analysis using, for example, a finite element package. However, even in this case, some<br />

useful engineering insights into the behaviour of excavation peripheral rock can be<br />

established by exploiting quite simple conceptual models of the effects of inelastic<br />

deformation. Finally, the procedures allow quick <strong>and</strong> inexpensive exploration of the<br />

effects of varying the principal design options, i.e. excavation location, orientation,<br />

shape <strong>and</strong> excavation sequence. In fact, in a design exercise, the types of analysis<br />

discussed above should usually precede a more sophisticated analysis which might<br />

be needed to model inelastic behaviour of discontinuities in the rock mass.<br />

208

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