Influence of Rock Bridge Configurations and Normal Stress on the Shear-Failure Behavior of Notched Rock

The scale of natural fractures in rock masses varies widely, from a few microns up to several kilometers. In many formations, fractures or joints are discontinuous and have finite lengths. Occasionally, a single discontinuity may dominate the failure process of a rock mass. Typically, several discontinuities of different sizes interact to form a composite shear plane. The intact rock portions that connect adjacent discontinuities are referred to as rock bridges. These bridges within partially connected joint sets play a key role in controlling the overall stability of the rock mass and have a major influence on its shear strength.