Modelling Failure in Layered Geological Formations - FDEM: A Micro-mechanical Approach that Bridges Across Scales

The hybrid finite/discrete element method (FDEM) is an innovative numerical technology that combines the advantages of large-strain finite elements with those of discrete elements, allowing for explicit modelling of the propagation of cracks in heterogeneous brittle rocks, as well as the interaction between their different constituent phases and materials. By modelling these physical interactions at the micro-scale, FDEM is able to reproduce the responses of excavation in layered and bedded rock at multiple scales as an emergent property of the model. Following an overview of the FDEM basic principles, failure process observed in shale rock will be presented and discussed within the manuscript.