Intelligent prediction of the stress-strain response of intact and jointed rocks

An application of Artificial Neural Networks for predicting the stress-strain response of jointed rocks under different confining pressures is presented in this paper. Rocks of different compressive strength with different joint properties (frequency, orientation and strength of joints) are considered in this study. The database for training the neural network is formed from the results of triaxial compression tests on different intact and jointed rocks with different joint properties tested at different confining pressures reported by various researchers in the literature. The network was trained using a three-layered network with the feed-forward back propagation algorithm.About 85% of the data was used for training and the remaining 15% was used for testing the network. Results from the analyses demonstrated that the neural network approach is effective in capturing the stress-strain behaviour of intact rocks and the complex stress-strain behaviour of jointed rocks. A single neural network is demonstrated to be capable of predicting the stress-strain response of different jointed rocks, whose intact strength varies from 11.32 MPa to 123 MPa, spacing of joints varies from 10 cm to 100 cm. and confining pressures range from 0 to 13.8 MPa. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stress-Strain Prediction of Jointed Rocks using Artificial Neural Networks

The applicability of Artificial Neural Networks for predicting the stress-strain response of jointed rocks at varied confining pressures, strength properties and joint properties (frequency, orientation and strength of joints) has been studied in the present paper. The database is formed from the triaxial compression tests on different jointed rocks with different confining pressures and different joint properties reported by various researchers. This input data covers a wide range of rock strengths, varying from very soft to very hard. The network was trained using a 3 layered network with feed forward back propagation algorithm. About 85% of the data was used for training and remaining15% for testing the predicting capabilities of the network. Results from the analyses were very encouraging and demonstrated that the neural network approach is efficient in capturing the complex stress-strain behaviour of jointed rocks. A single neural network is demonstrated to be capable of predicting the stress-strain response of different rocks, whose intact strength vary from 11.32 MPa to 123 MPa and spacing of joints vary from 10 cm to 100 cm for confining pressures ranging from 0 to 13.8 MPa.

Elasto-plastic analysis of jointed rocks using discrete continuum and equivalent continuum approaches

Results from elasto-plastic numerical simulations of jointed rocks using both the equivalent continuum and discrete continuum approaches are presented, and are compared with experimental measurements. Initially triaxial compression tests on different types of rocks with wide variation in the uniaxial compressive strength are simulated using both the approaches and the results are compared. The applicability and relative merits and limitations of both the approaches for the simulation of jointed rocks are discussed. It is observed that both the approaches are reasonably good in predicting the real response. However, the equivalent continuum approach has predicted somewhat higher stiffness values at low strains. Considering the modelling effort involved in case of discrete continuum approach, for problems with complex geometry, it is suggested that a proper equivalent continuum model can be used, without compromising much on the accuracy of the results. Then the numerical analysis of a tunnel in Japan is taken up using the continuum approach. The deformations predicted are compared well against the field measurements and the predictions from discontinuum analysis. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neoarchean continental growth through arc magmatism in the Nilgiri Block, southern India

The formation and growth of continental crust in the Archean have been evaluated through models of subduction-accretion and mantle plume. The Nilgiri Block in southern India exposes exhumed Neoarchean lower crust, uplifted to heights of 2500 m above sea level along the north western margin of the Peninsula. Major lithologies in this block include charnockite with or without garnet, anorthosite-gabbro suite, pyroxenite, amphibolite and hornblende-biotite gneiss (TTG). All these rock types are closely associated as an arc magmatic suite, with diffuse boundaries and coeval nature. The charnockite and hornblende-biotite gneisses (TTG) show SiO2 content varying from 64 to 73 wt.%. The hornblende-biotite gneisses (TTG) are high-Al type with Al2O3 >15 wt.% whereas the charnockites show Al2O3 <15 wt.%. The composition of charnockite is mainly magnesian and calcic to calc-alkaline. The mafic-ultramafic rocks show composition close to that of tholeiitic series. The low values of K(2)o (<3 wt.%), (K/Rb)/K2O (<500), Zr/Ti, and trace element ratios like (La/Yb)n/(Sr/Y), (Y/Nb), (Y + Nb)/Rb, (Y+Ta)/Rb, Yb/Ta indicate a volcanic arc signature for these rocks. The geochemical signature is consistent with arc magmatic rocks generated through oceanic plate subduction. The primitive mantle normalized trace element patterns of these rocks display enrichment in large ion lithophile elements (LILE) and comparable high field strength elements (HFSE) in charnockite and hornblende-biotite gneisses (TTG) consistent with subduction-related origin. Primitive mantle normalized REE pattern displays an enrichment in LREE in the chamockite and hornblende-biotite gneisses (TTG) as compared to a flat pattern for the mafic rocks. The chondrite normalized REE patterns of zircons of all the rock types reveal cores with high HREE formed at ca. 2700 Ma and rims with low HREE formed at 2500-2450 Ma. Log-transformed La/Th-Nb/Th-Sm/Th-Yb/Th discrimination diagram for the mafic and ultramafic rocks from Nilgiri displays a transition from mid-oceanic ridge basalt (MORB) to island arc basalt (IAB) suggesting a MORB source. The U-Pb zircon data from the charnockites, mafic granulites and hornblende-biotite gneisses (TTG) presented in our study show that the magma generation during subduction and accretion events in this block occurred at 2700-2500 Ma. Together with the recent report on Neoarchean supra-subduction zone ophiolite suite at its southern margin, the Nilgiri Block provides one of the best examples for continental growth through vertical stacking and lateral accretion in a subduction environment during the Neoarchean. (c) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neoarchean arc magmatism followed by high-temperature, high-pressure metamorphism in the Nilgiri Block, southern India

The Nilgiri Block, southern India is an exhumed lower crust formed through arc magmatic processes in the Neoarchean. The main lithologies in this terrane include charnockites, gneisses, volcanic tuff, metasediments, banded iron formation and mafic-ultramafic bodies. Mafic-ultramafic rocks are present towards the northern and central part of the Nilgiri Block. We examine the evolution of these mafic granulites/metagabbros by phase diagram modeling and U-Pb sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) dating. They consist of a garnet-clinopyroxene-plagioclase-hornblende-ilmenite +/- orthopyroxene +/- rutile assemblage. Garnet and clinopyroxene form major constituents with labradorite and orthopyroxene as the main mineral inclusions. Labradorite, identified using Raman analysis, shows typical peaks at 508 cm(-1), 479 cm(-1), 287 cm(-1) and 177 cm(-1). It is stable along with orthopyroxene towards the low-pressure high-temperature region of the granulite fades (M1 stage). Subsequently, orthopyroxene reacted with plagioclase to form the peak garnet + clinopyroxene + rutile assemblage (M2 stage). The final stage is represented by amphibolite facies-hornblende and plagioclase-rim around the garnet-clinopyroxene assemblage (M3 stage). Phase diagram modeling shows that these mafic granulites followed an anticlockwise P-T-t path during their evolution. The initial high-temperature metamorphism (M1 stage) was at 850-900 degrees C and similar to 9 kbar followed by high-pressure granulite fades metamorphism (M2 stage) at 850-900 degrees C and 14-15 kbar. U-Pb isotope studies of zircons using SHRIMP revealed late Neoarchean to early paleoproterozoic ages of crystallization and metamorphism respectively. The age data shows that these mafic granulites have undergone arc magmatism at ca. 25392 +/- 3 Ma and high-temperature, high-pressure metamorphism at ca. 2458.9 +/- 8.6 Ma. Thus our results suggests a late Neoarchean arc magmatism followed by early paleoproterozoic high-temperature, high-pressure granulite facies metamorphism due to the crustal thickening and suturing of the Nilgiri Block onto the Dharwar Craton. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.