Stress- and temperature dependent application of joint-constitutive-models for rock-ice mechanical systems and its implementation in a comprehensive distinct element code

Rock mechanics and its numerical representation alone are challenging tasks – if you add ice to that equation, it becomes an even more complex thing to do. Nevertheless, aiming for a better understanding of rock slopes in permafrost conditions and their mechanical behaviour depending on the scale and mechanisms of interest, integrating rock and joint characteristics, also including ice can become relevant. Krautblatter et al. (2013) suggests a rock-ice mechanical model, that describes the dominating effects for the stability of high-alpine rock slopes in permafrost conditions. This study aims to select ice filled rock joints as one of the relevant effects of Krautblatter et al. (2013) and combines it with findings of the laboratory test and derived temperature dependent failure criteria of Mamot et al. (2018). We present data and strategies for implementing temperature-dependent failure criteria for ice-filled rock interfaces into numerical distinct element code and their calibration by a comparison with preceding laboratory tests. Additionally, methods for temperature transfer within the model are suggested as well as for integrating stress-dependent application of different failure criteria in the numerical formulation. Here we show a benchmark joint-constitutive-model for rock-ice mechanical systems and its implementation in a comprehensive distinct element code.