A Critical Discussion on the Use of Discrete Fracture Network Models in Rock Engineering Practice: Why Rock Mass Characterisation Methods can Benefit from Considering Fracture Connectivity.
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| Title: | A Critical Discussion on the Use of Discrete Fracture Network Models in Rock Engineering Practice: Why Rock Mass Characterisation Methods can Benefit from Considering Fracture Connectivity. |
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| Authors: | Li, Yalin1 (AUTHOR), Elmo, Davide1 (AUTHOR) delmo@mining.ubc.ca |
| Source: | Rock Mechanics & Rock Engineering. Oct2025, Vol. 58 Issue 10, p11401-11419. 19p. |
| Subjects: | Rock mechanics, Geotechnical engineering, Fracture strength, Geological modeling, Fracture mechanics, Brittleness |
| Abstract: | Fracture connectivity refers to the degree to which fractures within a rock mass are spatially arranged and interconnected. As a result, fracture connectivity can affect the pattern and magnitude of deformations, and induced brittle damage in response to external forces. Traditionally, fracture intensity has been a standard metric for characterising rock mass quality. This paper explains why fracture connectivity should be included in addition to fracture intensity as a characterisation parameter. Fracture intensity alone cannot capture the complex interactions and pathways that fractures create within the rock mass. On the other hand, fracture connectivity offers a more comprehensive view of how fractures propagate and interact, enabling a deeper understanding of stress transfer and deformation patterns. This paper reviews the Network Connectivity Index (NCI) and its applications in rock engineering design. It is discussed that NCI, considering both fracture intensity and fracture connectivity, serves as a more objective measurement to reduce the degree of subjectivity of many empirical methods. Furthermore, an extensive set of DFN models suggests that NCI correlates better with block sizes and can serve as a more representative parameter than P 32 for fragmentation assessment in cave mine design. Highlights: Fracture connectivity can affect the pattern and magnitude of deformations and induce brittle damage in response to external forces. Fracture intensity has limitations in capturing the complex interactions and pathways that fractures create within the rock mass. Fracture connectivity offers additional information as to how fractures propagate and interact. The Network Connectivity Index (NCI) is a novel and objective measurement that can be easily extracted from discrete fracture network models. NCI correlates better with block sizes and can serve as a more representative parameter than P32 for fragmentation assessment in cave mine design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Rock Mechanics & Rock Engineering is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 188623941 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: A Critical Discussion on the Use of Discrete Fracture Network Models in Rock Engineering Practice: Why Rock Mass Characterisation Methods can Benefit from Considering Fracture Connectivity. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Li%2C+Yalin%22">Li, Yalin</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Elmo%2C+Davide%22">Elmo, Davide</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> delmo@mining.ubc.ca</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Rock+Mechanics+%26+Rock+Engineering%22">Rock Mechanics & Rock Engineering</searchLink>. Oct2025, Vol. 58 Issue 10, p11401-11419. 19p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rock+mechanics%22">Rock mechanics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Geotechnical+engineering%22">Geotechnical engineering</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fracture+strength%22">Fracture strength</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Geological+modeling%22">Geological modeling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fracture+mechanics%22">Fracture mechanics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Brittleness%22">Brittleness</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Fracture connectivity refers to the degree to which fractures within a rock mass are spatially arranged and interconnected. As a result, fracture connectivity can affect the pattern and magnitude of deformations, and induced brittle damage in response to external forces. Traditionally, fracture intensity has been a standard metric for characterising rock mass quality. This paper explains why fracture connectivity should be included in addition to fracture intensity as a characterisation parameter. Fracture intensity alone cannot capture the complex interactions and pathways that fractures create within the rock mass. On the other hand, fracture connectivity offers a more comprehensive view of how fractures propagate and interact, enabling a deeper understanding of stress transfer and deformation patterns. This paper reviews the Network Connectivity Index (NCI) and its applications in rock engineering design. It is discussed that NCI, considering both fracture intensity and fracture connectivity, serves as a more objective measurement to reduce the degree of subjectivity of many empirical methods. Furthermore, an extensive set of DFN models suggests that NCI correlates better with block sizes and can serve as a more representative parameter than P 32 for fragmentation assessment in cave mine design. Highlights: Fracture connectivity can affect the pattern and magnitude of deformations and induce brittle damage in response to external forces. Fracture intensity has limitations in capturing the complex interactions and pathways that fractures create within the rock mass. Fracture connectivity offers additional information as to how fractures propagate and interact. The Network Connectivity Index (NCI) is a novel and objective measurement that can be easily extracted from discrete fracture network models. NCI correlates better with block sizes and can serve as a more representative parameter than P32 for fragmentation assessment in cave mine design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Rock Mechanics & Rock Engineering is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s00603-024-04049-4 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 19 StartPage: 11401 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Rock mechanics Type: general – SubjectFull: Geotechnical engineering Type: general – SubjectFull: Fracture strength Type: general – SubjectFull: Geological modeling Type: general – SubjectFull: Fracture mechanics Type: general – SubjectFull: Brittleness Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: A Critical Discussion on the Use of Discrete Fracture Network Models in Rock Engineering Practice: Why Rock Mass Characterisation Methods can Benefit from Considering Fracture Connectivity. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Li, Yalin – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Elmo, Davide IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 10 Text: Oct2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 07232632 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 58 – Type: issue Value: 10 Titles: – TitleFull: Rock Mechanics & Rock Engineering Type: main |
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