BOUNDARY ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF CRACK PROPAGATION PATHS IN ANISOTROPIC ROCK
KE Chienchung1，HSU Shihmeng1，CHEN Chaoshi2，CHI Shuyeong1
(1. Geotechnical Engineering Research Center，Sinotech Engineering Consultants，Inc.，Taipei，Taiwan 110，China； 2. Department of Resources Engineering，Cheng Kung University，Tainan，Taiwan 701，China)
Abstract：The development of a unified numerical framework based on the boundary element method(BEM) for modeling crack propagation behavior in anisotropic rock is presented. The BEM formulation combined with the maximum circumferential stress criterion is used to predict the crack initiation angles and to simulate the crack propagation paths. To demonstrate the proposed BEM procedure to predict crack propagation in anisotropic rock，the propagation path in cracked straight-through Brazilian disc(CSTBD) specimen is numerically predicted and compared with the actual laboratory observations. Good agreement is found between the two approaches. It is therefore concluded that the proposed BEM procedure can accurately simulate the process of crack propagation for anisotropic rock.
