International Conference on Civil Engineering

Architecture & Urban Sustainable Development

18 &19 December 2013, Tabriz , Iran

Shear behavior of filled discontinuities

Mohammad hosein Sadaghiani *, Ali Khosravi *,Ashkan Nafisi*

1. Assistant professor, Sharif university of Technology, mhsadagh@sharif.edu

2. Assistant professor, Sharif university of Technology, Ali.Khosravi@colorado.edu
3. Sharif university of Technology ,nafisi_ashkan@yahoo.com

Abstract
All rock masses contain discontinuities. In some situation behavior of the rock
mass is controlled by sliding on discontinuities and some discontinuities are filled
with deposits and soil. High deformability and low shear strength are typical
behavior of exhibited by this type of discontinuities. So the shear stress-strain
behavior and shear strength parameters of filled discontinuities are of practical
importance in the optimal and safe design in tunneling and mining. These
parameters are related to the type, thickness and moisture of content of filling and
also surface roughness of the host discontinuities, it is therefore essential to at
least understand its typical behavior under the interactive effects of these
controlling components. To study the behavior of filled discontinuities a series of
laboratory shear tests were conducted on model filled discontinuity. The physical
model used in these tests consists of silty-sand as infilling and plaster as
discontinuity blocks. Experimental variables include infill thickness, moisture
content of infilling, normal stress. The shear tests were conducted on simple shear
direct apparatus under strain controlled condition and in large scale. Laboratory
tests result indicate that in low ratio of infill thickness over amplitude of
roughness (t/a) the maximum shear strength of discontinuity is depend on shear
strength of block but with increasing the ratio of t/a the maximum shear strength
of discontinuity decrease and it is depend on infill material as in t/a equal 2, shear
behavior is the same as shear behavior of infill material.
.

Key words: rock discontinuities, shear behavior, infill material, infill thickness, infill moisture
content

1. Introduction
Shear behavior of clean discontinuities has been discussed by researchers(e.g. goodman,
patton, barton and bandis) and several models and empirical formulae have been proposed to
enable evaluation of shear parameters for designing of tunnel and other structures related to
rock engineering but filled discontinuities have been studied much less because of difficulties
of testing and various number of parameters.
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 International Conference on Civil Engineering
Architecture & Urban Sustainable Development
18 &19 December 2013, Tabriz , Iran

Shear strength of filled discontinuities depend on thickness of filling, roughness surface,

saturated degree of filling material and type of filling material. In most of time the shear
strength of filling discontinuities decreases with increasing infill thickness. The most obvious
effect of filling in discontinuities is separating walls discontinuities and reduces rock to rock
contact. To have economical and safe design in rock engineering we need reliable and
realistic theorical or empirical relations to evaluate shear behavior of filled discontinuities.
This paper reports results of study of shear behavior of rough discontinuities containing filling
material which was various in thicknesses, moisture contents and applied normal stresses

2. Litreture review
Shear behavior of infilled discontinuities have been studied by researchers like indraratna,
patton, ladnyi and etc and different parameters like type of infill material, thickness of infill,
amplitude of roughness have been studied for evaluating shear strength of discontinuities.
Different researchers (molokov,1971; brekke and howard,1972; lama,1978) divided infilling
material into categories base on their origin, strength and behavior and method of transported
into discontinuities. Ladnyi & Archambault (1977) devided infill type based on the
mechanistic point of view into 4 following basic groups. Clean discontinuities, coated
discontinuities, clay like infill and sand like infill.
Thickness of infilling material is the most important parameter controlling the strength of
discontinuities. several researchers have reported that thicker the infill the lower strength
(Lama,1978; papaliangas,1993). Some previous test results (Kanji,1974) showed that in some
cases the joint shear strength could be smaller than that of the peak shear strength of infill
material. Also De Toledo & De Freitas (1993) found that shear behavior of infilled
discontinuities is a function of discontinuities surface geometry (e.g. flat, rough or saw-tooth).
For rough discontinuities with granular infill, the shear strength reduction is less rapid with
increasing infill thickness compared to finer grains infill (papaliangas, 1993). The peak
strength of rough discontinuities with granular infilling decrease and becomes less defined
with increasing infill thickness (Phien-wej et al, 1991). For smoother discontinuities surface,
no peak strength is observed for all infill thickness (Pereira, 1990).
For infill discontinuities the effect of thickness on shear strength of discontinuities depends on
the roughness amplitude (a) of discontinuities surface. For infilled discontinuities with thick
infill (t) less of roughness amplitude (t < a) the discontinuities walls set the boundary limits
for the failure surface and therefore the texture of discontinuities is clean and with increasing
the thickness of infill peak shear strength decrease. Phien-wej et al (1990) have carried out an
experimental program on infilled saw-toothed discontinuities with dry bentonite as infill.
Test results showed that the shear strength of discontinuities reduced to that of the infill when
the infill thickness reached approximately twice the roughness amplitude but De Toledo &
Freitas (1993) found that critical ratio of t/a is approximately 1 for granular infill. Drainage
condition is also important parameter that effects of shear behavior of infilled discontinuities
that only limited study have been reported effect of this parameter. Indraratna & Jayanthan
(2005) have reported the results of undrained triaxial tests with excess pore water pressure
measurement on clay infilled saw toothed rock discontinuities. They concluded that the shear

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 International Conference on Civil Engineering
Architecture & Urban Sustainable Development
18 &19 December 2013, Tabriz , Iran

strength and deformation of infilled discontinuities are combined effect of the discontinuities
and infill properties, the confining pressure and drainage conditions.

3. laboratory method
1-3-Preparation method
In this study, artificial samples made of plaster were used to simulate roughness of the rock
discontinuities surfaces. Regular saw-tooth surfaces was used with dimension as shown in
figure 1.the profile for saw-tooth samples consisted of 6mm peak height and 20 mm distance
between each peak. Regular, saw tooth surfaces are a common used idealization of rough rock
surfaces in literature (De toledo & Freitas, 1993).

15.00

15.00

filling materails

19.20
1.03 30°
0.60

15.00

Figure 1. dimension of samples used in study

Dimension of samples were 150mm x 150mm and fit inside square shear box. For preparation
of samples plaster and water mixed with weight ratio of 0.6 and then poured into mold. For
curing, samples dried in oven for 1 day and then 1 week in room temperature. Infill material
was silty-sand with low to moderate plasticity. Results of sieve test on filling material are
shown in figure 2.

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 International Conference on Civil Engineering
Architecture & Urban Sustainable Development
18 &19 December 2013, Tabriz , Iran

Figure 2. results of sieve test on filling material

In this study, direct shear test apparatus were used. Tests were carried out under constant
normal stress. Moisture percent of Infill material was 35% and 50% and stored in airtight bag
for using in tests.

2-3-Test program

Various shear tests carried out as summarized in table 1. As shown in table 1, thickness of
infill was 3mm, 6mm and 12mm (t/a = 0.5, 1, 2), moisture percent of infill material was 35%
and 50% and applied normal stress in tests was 30kpa, 60kpa and 120kpa.

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 International Conference on Civil Engineering
Architecture & Urban Sustainable Development
18 &19 December 2013, Tabriz , Iran

Table 1. properties of filling material and rock sample

Parameters Units Variables

Specification of
Compressive
joints block KN/m2 4000
strength
material
Cohesion
Kg/cm2 0.31
(c)
Specifications Depth of infilled
of infilled mm 0 3 6 12
(t)
material
Moisture content of
infilled material % 35 50
)S)
Geometry
Asperity angle
condition of degree 30
(i)
discontinues

Loading
Normal stress KN/m2 30 60 120
condition

4.Discussion
More than 25 numbers of shear tests were carried out on different discontinuities models. To
evaluate the shear behavior of unfilled samples, direct shear test were conducted on models.
Figure 3 shows shear behavior of unfilled discontinuities at 60kpa and 120 kpa normal
stresses.

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 International Conference on Civil Engineering
Architecture & Urban Sustainable Development
18 &19 December 2013, Tabriz , Iran

Figure 3. Shear behavior of clean discontinuities

In this section we discuss about the effect of infill thickness, normal stress levels and moisture
percent of infill material on shear behavior of infilled discontinuities.

1-4- infill thickness

As shown in figures 4 and 5 with increasing of infill thickness shear strength of discontinuities
reduced.

Figure 4. effect of filling thickness on shear behavior of filled discontinuities

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 International Conference on Civil Engineering
Architecture & Urban Sustainable Development
18 &19 December 2013, Tabriz , Iran

Figure 5. effect of filling thickness on shear behavior of filled discontinuities

According to figures 4 and 5 peak shear strength is mobilized at different shear displacement
according to t/a ratio (ratio of filling thickness to amplitude height).for clean discontinuities
the peak is sharp and occurs after small shear displacement but for intermediate t/a ratio (t/a =
0.5 and 1 in this study) peak become less sharp and for t/a equal 2 there is no obvious peak
and behavior is strain-hardening.in t/a equal to zero and 0.5 almost immediate rock to rock
contact occurs. For t/a=1 rock to rock contact happened much less and therefore the peak
shear strength decrease.
For t/a = 0.5 and 1 stress-displacement diagram has two different portions; the first reflects
the dominant influence of the shear characteristics of the infill at the early stage of the test and
second shows the increasing influence of the rock wall during later stage. With increasing of
infill thickness more displacement needs for rock to rock contacts happen. When t/a = 2 the
influence of rock walls will disappear and therefore shear behavior of infilled discontinuities
governed by soil-mechanics principles of infill material.
Infill thickness also effects on strength parameters of discontinuities. As said before
increasing of infill thickness decrease shear strength and therefore effects on cohesion and
frictional degree of discontinuities. Table 2 shows the effect of infill thickness on these
parameters.

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 International Conference on Civil Engineering
Architecture & Urban Sustainable Development
18 &19 December 2013, Tabriz , Iran

Table 2. effect of fill thickness on shear parameters

phi Cohesion

degree kpa

t/a = 0.5 35 31

t/a = 1 32 27

t/a = 2 19 21

no filling 36 32.5

2-4- moisture content of infill material

As mentioned before, two moisture contents were used for infill material. Figures 6 and 7 shows the
effect of moisture contents of filling material on shear strength of filled discontinuities. As is obvious
in figures 6 and 7 increasing of moisture content decrease shear strength but when t/a is 0.5 or 1 the
effect of this parameters is less on shear strength in comparison with t/a = 2

Figure 6. effect of moisture content on shear behavior for t/a = 1

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 International Conference on Civil Engineering
Architecture & Urban Sustainable Development
18 &19 December 2013, Tabriz , Iran

Figure 7. effect of moisture content on shear behavior for t/a = 2

3-4- normal stresses

Three levels of normal stresses were used in tests (30kpa, 60kpa, 120kpa). Increasing normal stresses
reduced dilation and therefore the shear of saw-tooth happened near base of saw-tooth, so shear
strength increase remarkably.
Fig 9 shows the effect of normal stresses on different infill thickness. In this figure peak strength
occurs after small displacement. With increasing normal stress, peak strength reduced and occurs in
larger displacement. It’s due to easy dilation in lower normal stress and therefore shear happened in
top of amplitude.

Figure 8. effect of normal stress on shear behavior for t/a = 0.5

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 International Conference on Civil Engineering
Architecture & Urban Sustainable Development
18 &19 December 2013, Tabriz , Iran

Figure 9. effect of normal stress on shear behavior for t/a = 1

5.conclusion
The effects of infill thickness, moisture content and level of normal stress on the behavior of
infilled discontinuities have been discussed. Thin infilled discontinuities attain its peak shear
strength after small shear displacement but in thicker infilled discontinuities (t/a = 2) we have
strain hardening behavior with no visible peak strength.
Shear strength of filled discontinuities decrease with increasing of filled thickness and varied
between shear strength of clean discontinuities and shear strength of filling material.
With Increasing of moisture content of filling material shear strength of filled discontinuities
decrease and this reduction is more sensible in thick infilled discontinuities.
Increasing normal stress causes increase of shear strength of filled discontinuities and with
increasing the normal stress the peak shear strength happened at smaller shear displacement.

References
Tulinov & Molokov (1971), Role of joint filling material in shear strength of rocks.ISRM Paper 2-1-2-24

Lama (1978) ,Influence of filling on shear behavior of joints , proc.3rd congr .Int.Assoc.Eng.Geol.,Madrid,vol.2
pp 27-34`

Ladanyi B, Archambal, G. Simulation of Shear Behaviour of a Jointed Rock Mass .Proc. 11th Symp. Rock
Mech., Berkeley , California, 1977;105-125

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 International Conference on Civil Engineering
Architecture & Urban Sustainable Development
18 &19 December 2013, Tabriz , Iran

Papaliangas, T.,Hencher,s.R (1993). The effect of frictional fill thickness on the shear strength of rock
discontinuities.

Kanji (1974),Unconventional laboratory tests for determination of shear strength of soil-rock contacts.proc.3rd
congr.Int.Soc.Rock mech.,denver,Vol2,pp 241-247

De Toledo, P.E.C. & De Freitas, M.H. (1993). Laboratory testing and parameters controlling the shear strength
of infilled rock joints.

Phein – Wej (1990) ,Effect of infill thickness on shear behavior of rock joints. Rock Joints,proc.Int.conf.on
Rock Joints , pp289-294

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