Three dimensional numerical simulations were conducted by particle based modelling of fracture, flow and comminution of rock to investigate frictional behaviour in shear zones. As the model can simulate the process of fault formations from solid rock mass and the process of flow in the shear zones with gouge layers straightforwardly, frictional behaviour under complex topology of shear layers with gouge materials are naturally represented without artificial prescription. The potential of this model is illustrated by means of a simulation of a tri-axial compression test of rock. Then, a fault formation and frictional behaviour in resultant shear zones can be studied using this model.
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