The effect of stress concentrations on the stability of tunnels / D.F. Coates, Fuels and Mining Practice Division.: M38-8/35E-PDF

"The stress concentrations around an underground opening may theoretically exceed the strength of the rock mass. Deviations of the actual rock properties from those of homogeneity and perfect elasticity can, however, modify the theoretical stress distributions considerably. In addition, the known variation of the strength of rocks with the volume of the rock makes the predictability of failure due to stress concentration questionable. Several experiments have been conducted which show that failure due to compressive stress concentrations can be predicted under favourable circumstances quite accurately. However, considering failure as a stochastic phenomenon, predictions should be in terms of a probability of failure rather than a certainty. As a result of these experiments, it can be seen that the main requirements to improve the correspondence between experimental results and predicted results is to have better methods for determining the mechanical properties of rock masses"--Summary, p. 299.

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