COMPOSITE ELEMENT MODEL FOR ROCK MASS SEEPAGE FLOW

In this paper, the algorithm developed on the concept of the Composite Element Method (CEM) is proposed for the seepage flow in discontinuous rock masses. The basic idea is that if an element contains one or more discontinuity segments, it will be denoted as a composite element having a set of hydraulic potential values defined at its nodes. By the variation principle, the governing equation can be established to solve the unknown hydraulic potential values at the composite element nodes. The main advantage of the proposed model is that the generation of calculation mesh will not be restricted strongly by the number, the position and the orientation of the discontinuities. A numerical example is presented at the end of the paper, to show the validity of the proposed model.