Numerical simulation of rock burst processes treated as problems of dynamic instability

SummaryThe phenomenon of rock burst occurs when the static stability conditions of the rock mass are violated and the dynamic failure process proceeds starting from the equilibrium state. In view of the difficulties in determining numerically the instability point, an alternative approach is advocated here: after solving the initial static problem the mode and onset of dynamic failure are studied by superposition of dynamic disturbances. In this way quantitative analyses of rock burst phenomena may be handled in a relatively simple manner.