Analytical simulation of the dynamic compressive strength of a granite using the sliding crack model

A sliding crack model is employed to simulate rock strength under dynamic c ompression. It is assumed that the growth and nucleation of a sliding crack array presented results in the shear fault failure and dominate the mechan ical properties of rock material. The pseudo-tractions method is used to ca lculate the stress intensity factor of the sliding crack array under compre ssion. With the utilization of a dynamic crack growth criterion, the growth of the sliding crack array is studied and the simulated strengths of a gra nite under dynamic compression are correspondingly obtained. It is conclude d that the simulated rock strengths increase with increasing strain rates a t different confining pressures, and the rising rates have a trend to decre ase with increasing confining pressures. It is also indicated that the simu lated rock strengths increase with increment of confining pressure at diffe rent strain rates, and the rising rates are almost identical at different s train rates. The simulation results are validated by the experimental data for the granite. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.