Comparison of two- and three-dimensional approaches for the numerical determination of equivalent mechanical properties of fractured rock masses

Abstract : This paper compares the two- and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) approaches for the numerical determination of the equivalent mechanical properties of fractured rock masses. Both orthogonally-fractured model and discrete fracture networks (DFN) were used for the geometry and 2D models were cut in various directions from 3D model to compare their mechanical properties. Geological data were loosely based on the data available from Sellafield, UK. Analytical method based on compliance tensor transformation was used for investigation in orthogonally fractured rock and numerical experiments were conducted on fractured rock mass with DFN geometry. It is shown that 2D approach always overestimates the elastic modulus of fractured rock masses by a factor of up to around two because fractures are assumed to be perpendicular to the model plane in 2D problems. Poisson ratios tend to have larger values in 2D analysis while there is opposite trend in some sections. The study quantitatively demonstrates the limitation of the 2D approach that uses the simplified model from true 3D geometry.