Strength Factor

Strength Factor
Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
(compression positive)

c = cohesion

= friction angle

I1 = xx + yy + zz
J2 =

1
( xx yy )2 + ( yy zz )2 + ( zz xx )2 + xy2 + yz2 + zx2
6

I
I
I
I
I
I

J 3 = xx 1 yy 1 zz 1 + 2 xy yz zx xx 1 yz2 yy 1 zx2 zz 1 xy2

3
3
3
3
3
3

3 3J
1
3

= arcsin
3
2
3
2 J 2

<<

S = J2

S max

I1
sin + c cos
= 3
sin sin
cos +
3

strength factor =

S max
S

Phase2 Theory

Strength Factor

Phase2 Theory

Strength Factor

Hoek-Brown Failure Criterion

(compression positive)

m, s = Hoek-Brown parameters

c = unconfined compressive strength of the intact rock

I1 = xx + yy + zz
J2 =

1
( xx yy )2 + ( yy zz )2 + ( zz xx )2 + xy2 + yz2 + zx2
6

I
I
I
I
I
I

J 3 = xx 1 yy 1 zz 1 + 2 xy yz zx xx 1 yz2 yy 1 zx2 zz 1 xy2

3
3
3
3
3
3

3 3J
1
3

= arcsin
3
3
2 J 2 2

<<

S = J2

tan m c m c I 1 s c2 m c

1 +

+
+
4
8
3 8 12

=
cos
2

S max

strength factor =

tan
1 +

S max
S

Phase2 Theory

Strength Factor

Drucker-Prager Failure Criterion

(compression positive)

k, q = Drucker-Prager parameters

I1 = xx + yy + zz

J2 =

1
( xx yy )2 + ( yy zz )2 + ( zz xx )2 + xy2 + yz2 + zx2
6

S = J2

S max = k + q

I1
3

strength factor =

S max
S

Calculation of the # of load steps in Phase2

N=

100 1
100 S

1 =
1

15 SF
15 S max

1. Determine N for all elements using an elastic analysis

2. The number of load steps is the maximum value of N

Phase2 Theory