This book presents some fundamental concepts behind the basic theories and tools of discrete element methods (DEM), its historical development, and its wide scope of applications in geology, geophysics and rock engineering. Unlike almost all books available on the general subject of DEM, this book includes coverage of both explicit and implicit DEM approaches, namely the Distinct Element Methods and Discontinuous Deformation Analysis (DDA) for both rigid and deformable blocks and particle systems, and also the Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) approach for fluid flow and solute transport simulations. The latter is actually also a discrete approach of importance for rock mechanics and rock engineering. In addition, brief introductions to some alternative approaches are also provided, such as percolation theory and Cosserat micromechanics equivalence to particle systems, which often appear hand-in-hand with the DEM in the literature. Fundamentals of the particle mechanics approach using DEM for granular media is also presented.· Presents the fundamental concepts of the discrete models for fractured rocks, including constitutive models of rock fractures and rock masses for stress, deformation and fluid flow· Provides a comprehensive presentation on discrete element methods, including distinct elements, discontinuous deformation analysis, discrete fracture networks, particle mechanics and Cosserat representation of granular media· Features constitutive models of rock fractures and fracture system characterization methods detaiing their significant impacts on the performance and uncertainty of the DEM models

Underground Mining Methods presents the latest principles and techniques in use today. Reflecting the international and diverse nature of the industry, a series of mining case studies is presented covering the commodity range from iron ore to diamonds extracted by operations located in all corners of the world. Industry experts have contributed 77 chapters. This book is certain to become a standard for every practicing mining engineer and student alike. Sections include: General Mine Design Considerations, Room-and-Pillar Mining of Hard Rock/Soft Rock, Longwall Mining of Hard Rock, Shrinkage Stoping, Sublevel Stoping, Cut-and-Fill Mining, Sublevel Caving, Panel Caving, Foundations for Design, and Underground Mining Looks to the Future.

Particle methods have seen increasing use in several engineering and scientific fields, both because of their unique modelling capabilities and the availability of the necessary computational power. This title focuses on their theory and application.

This book focusses on rock indentation and importance of specific drilling/cutting energy as a performance indicator for drilling/rock cutting. It aids in designing of drill bit and cutting pick, through performance evaluation for a given geometry. It further covers stress distribution along three axes in rock during load application, correlation of specific energy with properties of rocks and statistical modeling to generate mathematical equation to estimate the specific energy indentation, including performance prediction by artificial neural network modeling. Presented models can be used to assess the specific energy in rock indentation from the physic-mechanical properties of rocks. Presents synthesis of rock indentation experiments and analyses. Deals with statistical modeling to generate mathematical equations to estimate the specific energy indentation from the rock parameters/properties. Discusses how to find the performance of drill and cutting bits during drilling or cutting operations through indentation test. Covers numerical modeling to explain stress distribution in rock during rock indentation. Includes artificial neural network concepts used in field of rock mechanics. This book is aimed at researchers and graduate students in mining/geological engineering, mechanical engineering.

This book is a collection of ISRM suggested methods for testing or measuring properties of rocks and rock masses both in the laboratory and in situ, as well as for monitoring the performance of rock engineering structures. The first collection (Yellow Book) has been published in 1981. In order to provide access to all the Suggested Methods in one volume, the ISRM Blue Book was published in 2007 (by the ISRM via the Turkish National Group) and contains the complete set of Suggested Methods from 1974 to 2006 inclusive. The papers in this most recent volume have been published during the last seven years in international journals, mainly in Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering. They offer guidance for rock characterization procedures and laboratory and field testing and monitoring in rock engineering. These methods provide a definitive procedure for the identification, measurement and evaluation of one or more qualities, characteristics or properties of rocks or rock systems that produces a test result.

Special emphasis is given to the constitutive behaviour of rock material, including rock mechanics and partial saturation, chemo-mechanics, thermo-hydro-mechanics, weathering and creep. Theoretical concepts, laboratory and field experiments and numerical simulations are discussed. Multiphysics coupling and long-term behaviour has practical applicat

The aim of this book is intended, through parallel expounding, to help readers comprehensively grasp the intrinsic features of typical advanced computational methods. These methods are created in recent three decades for the understanding of the post-failure of geo-materials accompanied with discontinuous and finite deformation/dislocation, as well as the violent fluid-structure interaction accompanied with strong distortion of water surface. The strong points and weak points of the formalisms for governing equations, the discretization schemes, the nodal interpolation /approximation of field variables, and their connectivity (via support domains, covers, or enrichments), the basic algorithms, etc., are clarified. Being aware of that the differences in these methods are not so large as at the first glance, this book will help readers to select appropriate methods, to improve the methods for their specific purpose, and to evaluate the reliability/applicability of the outcomes in the hazard evaluation of geotechnical (hydraulic) structures beyond extreme work situation. This book may be looked at as an advanced continuation of “Computational Geomechanics and Hydraulic Structures” by the author (2018) (Springer-Verlag, ISBN 978-981-10-8134-7) which elaborates the fundamental computational methods in geomechanics for the routine design of geotechnical (hydraulic) engineering.

This new edition has been completely revised to reflect the notable innovations in mining engineering and the remarkable developments in the science of rock mechanics and the practice of rock angineering taht have taken place over the last two decades. Although "Rock Mechanics for Underground Mining" addresses many of the rock mechanics issues that arise in underground mining engineering, it is not a text exclusively for mining applications. Based on extensive professional research and teaching experience, this book will provide an authoratative and comprehensive text for final year undergraduates and commencing postgraduate stydents. For profesional practitioners, not only will it be of interests to mining and geological engineers, but also to civil engineers, structural mining geologists and geophysicists as a standard work for professional reference purposes.

Principles is the first volume of the five-volume set Rock Mechanics and Engineering and contains twenty-four chapters from key experts in the following fields: - Discontinuities; - Anisotropy; - Rock Stress; - Geophysics; - Strength Criteria; - Modeling Rock Deformation and Failure. The five-volume set “Comprehensive Rock Engineering”, which was published in 1993, has had an important influence on the development of rock mechanics and rock engineering. Significant and extensive advances and achievements in these fields over the last 20 years now justify the publishing of a comparable, new compilation. Rock Mechanics and Engineering represents a highly prestigious, multi-volume work edited by Professor Xia-Ting Feng, with the editorial advice of Professor John A. Hudson. This new compilation offers an extremely wideranging and comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art in rock mechanics and rock engineering and is composed of peer-reviewed, dedicated contributions by all the key experts worldwide. Key features of this set are that it provides a systematic, global summary of new developments in rock mechanics and rock engineering practices as well as looking ahead to future developments in the fields. Contributors are worldrenowned experts in the fields of rock mechanics and rock engineering, though younger, talented researchers have also been included. The individual volumes cover an extremely wide array of topics grouped under five overarching themes: Principles (Vol. 1), Laboratory and Field Testing (Vol. 2), Analysis, Modelling and Design (Vol. 3), Excavation, Support and Monitoring (Vol. 4) and Surface and Underground Projects (Vol. 5). This multi-volume work sets a new standard for rock mechanics and engineering compendia and will be the go-to resource for all engineering professionals and academics involved in rock mechanics and engineering for years to come.