With increasing use of mechanical excavation techniques in mining and civil engineering projects, it has become increasingly important to understand the fracture mechanisms involved in disc cutting. Two-dimensional Discrete Element Modeling has traditionally been used with some success in illuminating fracture behaviors; however, rock fracturing is an inherently three-dimensional problem with challenges including matching the bulk properties of real rocks and cutting down computation time by reducing the number of particles needed to obtain realistic results. In this paper we discuss some of the challenges facing three-dimensional modeling of rock cutting. Additionally, we suggest the potential for alternative solutions such as boundary conditions and tensile strength calibration as a preliminary step toward a full three-dimensional understanding of rock fragmentation.
Traditional drill and blast methods for rock excavation have been used for more than a century. These techniques have been used in a wide variety of applications, from building tunnels to developing underground mines. While drill and blast has evolved and become safer over the years, mechanical excavation techniques offer an alternative that Burger et al. call a “step change in excavation technology[1].” The major advantages of mechanical techniques over drill and blast include increased advance rates and safer working conditions In Mining applications, the usefulness of mechanical excavation techniques has been recognized. Recent projects have emphasized the use of mechanization for extracting material in underground mines. With innovation comes the need for new and better ways of conceptualizing and testing concepts. In particular, the Discrete Element Method (DEM) has given some useful insights to these problems. DEM is a particularly useful tool in the area of rock mechanics because, unlike some of its continuum method counterparts, DEM makes it easy to model the initiation and propagation of fractures
