STRESSES AROUND A CIRCULAR HORIZONTAL OPENING DRIVEN IN CRACKED ROCK MASS

ABSTRACT: The article examines the question of determining the stresses around a horizontal opening passing through a cracked array. The cracks are located in horizontal parallel and closely spaced planes. The medium between the planes is linear and isotropic. An approximate approach is proposed to determine the stresses in the rock mass. According to it, the rock mass is presented as an equivalent, uniform, transversely isotropic medium. The specified class of problems is solved by the complex potential theory.
The expressions for the physical constants of the transversely isotropic rock mass are determined by the normal and tangential stiffness of the cracks. The expressions for the stresses along the contour of a circular opening are in a cylindrical coordinate system. For a real rock mass with cracks, the tangential normal stresses around the hole are determined. A comparison is made between the stresses in the real rock mass and in the equivalent transversely isotropic rock mass.