Numerical Simulation of Thermal Cracking in Rocks Based on General Particle Dynamics

Abstract

In this paper, a novel numerical algorithm for simulating thermal-cracking function during the fracture process of rocks in the framework of general particle dynamics (GPD) is proposed. The thermal-cracking algorithm was embedded in general particle dynamics code to describe fracture behaviors of particles under thermal function. In general particle dynamics code, interaction among discrete particles was formulated by using the virtual-bond method. Fractures of virtual bond among particles were determined through the Hoek-Brown damage evolution law of rocks. The fractured virtual bond could only bear the compressive behavior between two particles, whereas the completed virtual bond could bear tensile, shear, and compressive behaviors. Furthermore, the temperature-dependent elastic-brittle behavior was considered in an explicit manner of GPD, so thermally induced rock damage could be realistically simulated in a thermomechanical coupling problem. The two numerical cases were given to verify the stability and accuracy of the numerical algorithm. Then, the numerical results were compared with analytical solutions and experimental results. It was found that the numerical results were in good agreement with the experimental ones.