Complex geometric features of fracture networks contained in rock masses can be captured by digital images quickly and accurately. However, the continuous and discontinuous deformation simulation of rock masses directly based on digital images is still challenging. Based on the Numerical Manifold Method (NMM), a simple and efficient image‐based simulation method is developed for rock masses containing complex fracture networks. A new crack model, named as “voxel crack model,” is generated based on pixel values of the digital image and a user‐defined resolution. With the voxel crack model, physical cover and manifold elements in NMM are then efficiently generated for complex fracture networks. After this, the continuous and discontinuous displacement fields of rock masses are simulated straightforwardly. In the present work, conventionally burdensome tasks, like boundary detections to transform digital images into computer aided design (CAD) models, generating conforming meshes, and explicitly tracking of fracture surfaces, are avoided. Several benchmarks validate the developed method. The calculated continuous and discontinuous deformation field of the San Leo rock slope containing a complex fracture network demonstrates the capability of the proposed method for practical engineering application.

中文翻译：

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基于图像的复杂裂隙网络数值流形方法模拟

包含在岩体中的裂隙网络的复杂几何特征可以通过数字图像快速而准确地捕获。然而，直接基于数字图像的岩体连续和不连续变形模拟仍然具有挑战性。基于数值流形方法（NMM），针对包含复杂裂缝网络的岩体，开发了一种简单有效的基于图像的仿真方法。根据数字图像的像素值和用户定义的分辨率，生成一个名为“ voxel裂纹模型”的新裂纹模型。利用体素裂纹模型，可以有效地生成NMM中的物理覆盖层和歧管元素，以用于复杂的裂缝网络。之后，直接模拟了岩体的连续和不连续位移场。在目前的工作中，避免了传统上繁重的任务，例如将数字图像转换为计算机辅助设计（CAD）模型的边界检测，生成符合要求的网格以及显式跟踪裂缝表面。多个基准测试验证了所开发的方法。计算出的包含复杂裂隙网络的San Leo岩质边坡的连续和非连续变形场证明了该方法在实际工程应用中的能力。