Study of equivalent deformability parameters in rock masses

It is very important to determine deformability parameters in the simulation of stability of rock masses. A model to determine equivalent deformability parameters through regular and irregular fractures in rock mass is put forward in the paper. The research of deformability property of rock mass without consideration of the coupling behavior indicates that the equivalent deformability parameters are not only related to the length, orientation and deformability property of discontinuities, but also related to the connection of each group of discontinuities. It is found that the REVs of rock masses is of several important properties. Firstly, REVs has multi scale effect and uncertainty properties. Secondly, REVs alters with the change of the geometrical properties of the network: REVs is smaller in the case of longer length, higher density and more disorder of orientation. The diversity between the deformability parameters of rock blocks and discontinuity has no effect on the value of REVs, while, if the deformability parameters of different groups of discontinuities become more consistent, the value of REVs is smaller.