Influence of Discontinuities on Rock Failure under Blasting at Shuangjiangkou Hydropower Station

Abstract

The underground caverns of Shuangjiangkou hydropower station are under complex geological conditions. During excavation, the stability of the tunnels is severely affected by problems, such as blasting impact and excavation unloading, resulting in abnormal deformation at different locations. On the basis of on-site measurement, the characteristics of rocks at the main powerhouse and the main transformer room are compared through dynamic tests, and a numerical model is established using discrete element method (DEM) to analyze the special influence of fault SPD9-f1 on the deformation after excavation. It is revealed that the surrounding rock of the main powerhouse has stronger impact resistance than that of the main transformer room and that the existence of fault SPD9-f1 accounts for the abnormal deformation. In this study, the failure characteristics and mechanism of surrounding rock deformation controlled by stress and fault are revealed, providing important references for the subsequent excavation and support design of underground projects.