Investigation of Mechanical Characterization of Transversely Isotropic Rock Mass Based on Rigid Block Discrete Element Method

The laminated joints of transversely isotropic rock mass show strong discontinuity, inhomogeneity, anisotropy, and nonlinearity. This paper proposes a novel rigid block discrete element method (RB-DEM) to simulate the transversely isotropic rock mass. The balls in traditional DEM simulation are replaced by rigid blocks generated using FEM mesh. The contact on the laminar joints can be described accurately. The rigid block discrete element method (RB-DEM) results are consistent with the laboratory test. The effects of joint parameters, joint spacing, and stiffness ratio on the uniaxial compression properties of transversely isotropic rock mass are discussed. This study provides a novel and effective tool for the analysis of transversely isotropic rock mass.