Numerical simulations and analysis for the SP pillar stability experiment, 2; Discontinuum based approaches using distinct element method

Shimizu, Hiroyuki*; Koyama, Tomofumi*; Chijimatsu, Masakazu*; Fujita, Tomoo ; Nakama, Shigeo 

DECOVALEX-2011 is an international cooperation project for enhancing the numerical models of radioactive waste repositories. In Task B of DECOVALEX-2011 project, the failure mechanism during excavation, heating and destressing processes observed in the sp pillar stability experiment (APSE), which carried out at the sp Hard Rock Laboratory by the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB), were simulated using two dimensional Distinct Element Method. As a result, it is found that the simulated crack generation and propagation during the destressing process by 2D-DEM agree qualitatively well with the observation at site.