Discrete Fracture Network approach to characterise rock mass fragmentation and implications for geomechanical upscaling

Natural fragmentation is a function of the fracture length and connectivity of naturally occurring rock discontinuities. This study reviews the use of a Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) method as an effective tool to assist with fragmentation assessment, primarily by providing a better description of the natural fragmentation distribution. This approach has at its core the development of a full-scale DFN model description of fracture orientation, size and intensity built up from all available geotechnical data. The model fully accounts for a spatially variable description of the fracture intensity distribution. The results suggest that DFN models could effectively be used to define equivalent rock mass parameters to improve the predictability achieved by current geomechanical simulations and empirical rock mass classification schemes. As shown in this study, a mine-scale DFN model could be converted to equivalent directional rock mass properties using a rapid analytical approach, allowing the creation of a rock mass model that incorporates the influence of a local variable structure with continuous spatial variability. When coupled with more detailed numerical synthetic rock mass simulations for calibration and validation, a balanced and representative approach could be established that puts more equal emphasis on data collection, local- and large-scale characterisation, conceptualisation and geomechanical simulation.