2021 Volume 17 Issue 1 Pages 9-12
Understanding the mechanism of fracturing process in rocks is important in civil and mining engineering, as well as several other fields where rock fractures play an important role, such as geothermal, hydraulic, and oil and gas engineering. The combined finite-discrete element method (FDEM) is one of the attractive hybrid methods for numerical simulations of complex fracturing and fragmentation processes of rocks from quasi-static to dynamic loading cases. Through international collaboration between Australia, Japan and Korea, 3D FDEM simulator have been actively self-developed. This study aims to briefly addresses the characteristics of the developed FDEM code as well as its advantages and disadvantages. Finally, some of the featured outcomes obtained through the development are introduced, such as the advanced 3D modelling of extremely complex and fast fracture process of rocks observed in dynamic rock testing by including the incorporation of elastic anisotropy.
