LSSVM-Based Rock Failure Criterion and Its Application in Numerical Simulation

• Main Authors: Changxing Zhu, Hongbo Zhao, Zhongliang Ru
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Limited 2015-01-01
• Series: Mathematical Problems in Engineering
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/246068

A rock failure criterion is very important for the prediction of the failure of rocks or rock masses in rock mechanics and engineering. Least squares support vector machines (LSSVM) are a powerful tool for addressing complex nonlinear problems. This paper describes a LSSVM-based rock failure criterion for analyzing the deformation of a circular tunnel under different in situ stresses without assuming a function form. First, LSSVM was used to represent the nonlinear relationship between the mechanical properties of rock and the failure behavior of the rock in order to construct a rock failure criterion based on experimental data. Then, this was used in a hypothetical numerical analysis of a circular tunnel to analyze the mechanical behavior of the rock mass surrounding the tunnel. The Mohr-Coulomb and Hoek-Brown failure criteria were also used to analyze the same case, and the results were compared; these clearly indicate that LSSVM can be used to establish a rock failure criterion and to predict the failure of a rock mass during excavation of a circular tunnel.