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title of the thesis - Department of Geology - Queen's University

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The zero cohesion and low friction value (20°) condition is considered too weak to produce a<br />

realistic stress distribution. In this instance, <strong>the</strong> shear zones are weak enough to accommodate slip<br />

but <strong>the</strong> resulting magnitude <strong>of</strong> stress to <strong>the</strong> south <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> excavation is diminished, whereas high<br />

stress is expected based on <strong>the</strong> occurrence <strong>of</strong> seismicity.<br />

East-west striking shear zones as well as <strong>the</strong> Footwall Shear Zone have negligible influence on<br />

stress distribution. The 1290 Shear Zones (and 400-East Shear Zone which is not represented in<br />

<strong>the</strong> model) strikes parallel to <strong>the</strong> far field stress and is thus not favourably aligned with <strong>the</strong> stress<br />

field to slip. Southwest-striking shear zones have <strong>the</strong> greatest impact on stress distribution; this<br />

system acts to redirect stress such that trends <strong>of</strong> high stress to <strong>the</strong> south <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> excavation show<br />

alignment with <strong>the</strong> strike <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> shear zones. This effect is enhanced with lower fault strength,<br />

though <strong>the</strong> magnitude <strong>of</strong> stress surrounding <strong>the</strong> excavation is reduced when faults are very weak.<br />

Displacement occurs along <strong>the</strong> Plum and Return Air Raise Shear Zones as right-lateral slip and is<br />

enhanced at low friction angles (Fig. 4.8). The plastic model exhibits tensile failure <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> rock<br />

mass in proximity to <strong>the</strong> excavation with past and current yielding far<strong>the</strong>r from <strong>the</strong> excavation<br />

(Fig. 4.9). In <strong>the</strong> strong and moderately strong cases yielding begins to localize along<br />

discontinuities. This effect is enhanced with lower fault strength. Stress trajectories for elastic<br />

and plastic models show a flow <strong>of</strong> stress around <strong>the</strong> excavation with little disturbance in <strong>the</strong> stress<br />

field near faults (see Appendix D). Stress orientations to <strong>the</strong> south <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> excavation are<br />

conformable to <strong>the</strong> regional stress inversion presented in <strong>the</strong> previous chapter.<br />

87

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