Evaluation of fracturing process of soft rocks at great depth by AE measurement and DEM simulation

Aoki, Kenji*; Mito, Yoshitada*; Kurokawa, Susumu*; Matsui, Hiroya ; Niunoya, Sumio; Minami, Masayuki*

The monitoring of EDZ (Excavation Disturbed Zone) is one of the most important required technologies for the design of rock caverns such as the high-level radioactive waste repository. The authors developed the stress-based evaluation system of EDZ by AE monitoring and DEM (Distinct Element Method) simulation. In order to apply this system to the soft rock site, the authors try to grasp the relationship between AE parameters, stress change and rock failure by performing the high stiffness tri-axial compression tests including AE measurements on the soft rock samples, and its simulations by DEM using bonded particle model.