ORIGINAL PAPER Use of an Integrated Discrete Fracture Network Code for Stochastic Stability Analyses of Fractured Rock Masses V. Merrien-Soukatchoff • T. Korini • A. Thoraval Received: 11 February 2010 / Accepted: 22 February 2011 / Published online: 12 March 2011 Ó Springer-Verlag 2011 Abstract The paper presents the Discrete Fracture Network code RESOBLOK, which couples geometrical block system construction and a quick iterative stability analysis in the same package. The deterministic or stochastic geometry of a fractured rock mass can be rep- resented and interactively displayed in 3D using two dif- ferent fracture generators: one mainly used for hydraulic purposes and another designed to allow block stability evaluation. RESOBLOK has downstream modules that can quickly compute stability (based on limit equilibrium or energy-based analysis), display geometric information and create links to other discrete software. The advantage of the code is that it couples stochastic geometrical representation and a quick iterative stability analysis to allow risk-analysis with or without reinforcement and, for the worst cases, more accurate analysis using stress–strain analysis com- puter codes. These different aspects are detailed for embankment and underground works. Keywords Modelling  Fractures  Rock mass  Blocks  Discrete fractures network  Stochastic  Risk analysis 1 Introduction The study of fractured rock masses has led to the devel- opment of software that is able to represent their geometry; mechanical, hydraulic or thermal behaviour; and coupled actions. In particular, Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) codes have become popular during the last 20 years, because they take the close structure of the rock mass into account. Indeed, discontinuities play a major role in many analyses (stability analysis, water flow, and heat transfer). Progress in rock mass representation has led to better models of the geometry of the discontinuities in rock masses and more accurate consideration of discontinuity behaviour and rock masses. The geometric representation of a rock mass has an important influence on the sub- sequent mechanical, hydraulic or thermal computation. The ‘‘DEM (discrete element methods) model requires realistic numerical representation of a fracture-block system assuming that the input fracture data are reliable and detailed enough’’ (Jing 2000). According to Jing (2000), there are ‘‘three approaches for generating block structures for DEM models: the constructive solid geometry (CSG), successive space subdivision and boundary representa- tion’’. However, choices are often made in geometric representation depending on subsequent concerns, i.e., hydraulic (including petroleum) or stability evaluation. For example, code such as Fracaflow (Sausse et al. 2008; Panien et al. 2010; Iding and Ringrose 2010) or Fracman (Dershowitz et al. 1998) appears to be designed more for hydraulic purposes. Even if Fracman allows stability analysis through its RockBlock downstream module (see V. Merrien-Soukatchoff (&) Laboratoire Environnement Ge ´ome ´canique Ouvrages (LAEGO), Ecole des Mines de Nancy, Nancy Universite ´, Nancy, France e-mail: Veronique.Merrien@mines.inpl-nancy.fr V. Merrien-Soukatchoff Institut de Recherche en Ge ´nie Civil et Me ´canique (GeM), CNRS—Ecole Centrale/Universite ´ de Nantes, Nantes, France T. Korini Polytechnic University of Tirana, Faculty of Geology and Mining, Tirana, Albania A. Thoraval Institut National de l’Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS), Ecole des Mines de Nancy, Nancy, France 123 Rock Mech Rock Eng (2012) 45:159–181 DOI 10.1007/s00603-011-0136-7