Quantifying the impact of small variations in fracture geometric characteristics on peak rock mass properties at a mining project using a coupled DFN–DEM approach

Using field data from Agnico-Eagle’s Meliadine gold project located in Nunavut Territory in northern Canada, a coupled DFN–DEM approach was used to evaluate the rock mass mechanical properties at REV. Variability in the structural data gathered on site and the variability associated with the stochastic modeling process have an impact on discrete fracture model (DFN) properties. Through a sensitivity analysis, this paper assesses the influence of a variation in the DFN model input parameters’ values on the rock mass peak properties – uniaxial compressive strength, Young modulus and Poisson ratio. The results not only highlight the possibilities associated with DFN–DEM modeling in characterizing rock mass properties at the engineering scale, they also provide a systematic way to assess the critical structural parameters controlling the rock mass properties.