Finite-element modelling of geomechanical and hydraulic responses to the room 209 heading extension excavation response experiment 2: post-excavation analysis of experimental results

摘要

An in situ excavation response test was conducted at the 240 Level of the Underground Research Laboratory (URL) in conjunction with the excavation of a tunnel (Room 209) through a narrow, near-vertical, water-bearing fracture oriented almost perpendicular to the tunnel axis. This report presents a post-excavation analysis of the predicted mechanical response of the granitic rock mass to the tunnel excavation and the near-field hydraulic response of the fracture zone, compares the numerical modelling predictions with the actual measured response, provides information on the rock mass and fracture from back-analysis of the responses, and makes recommendations for future experiments. Results indicate that displacements and stress changes were reasonably well predicted. Pressure drops at hydrology boreholes and inflow to the tunnel were overpredicted, and fracture permeability changes were underpredicted. The permeability change is considered too large to be solely stress-induced. The back-calculated deformation modulus indicated nonlinear softening of the rock within 3.5 m of the tunnel wall. This is likely due to both excavation damage and the confining stress dependence of the modulus. For future excavation experiments it is recommended that mechanical excavation should replace the drill-and-blast technique; excavation damage should be incorporated into mechanical models; an improved hydraulic fracture model should be developed; and a coupled geomechanical-hydraulic analysis of fracture flow should be developed. (author). 16 refs., 15 tabs., 156 figs. (Atomindex citation 27:000695)