Journal of the Korean Society of Mineral and Energy Resources Engineers ISSN:2288-0291(Print) 2288-2790(Online) 한국자원공학회지

Discrete joint network models often use a statistically generated joint network in order to analyze the hydraulic behavior in jointed rock masses. It is general to use a constant aperture for rock joints, or they are assumed to be of a specific probability distribution. In this study, the change of aperture is determined from the stress change due to the underground excavation and the joint normal stiffness in order to take into account the effect of mechanical deformation of joints on hydraulic behavior. Numerical analyses are performed by using the mechanical process on the basis of the statistical model of joint network. According to the numerical analyses, it is shown that the relation between the joint geometry and the stress condition becomes one of the most important factors influencing the hydraulic behavior of jointed rock masses, as well as the joint roughness. Consequently, the joint network model developed in this study will be very useful to investigate the realistic hydro-mechanical behavior of jointed rock masses.