Discussion on several key issues in current rock mechanics

In this paper, the author put forward some views and suggestions on several key problems in the development of current rock mechanics. Firstly, the stability of soft and hard surrounding rock under high geostress was discussed. Secondly, the jointed and fractured rock masses, the nonlinear weak surrounding rock and its support were studied, which dealt with the fracture mechanism of complex rock mass and the influence of construction process. Thirdly, the role of model test method was discussed, and the model test was proposed to be mainly applied when the numerical analysis failed to give reasonable results. Fourthly, the problems existing in the numerical analysis method were discussed, and the applicable conditions, the existing problems and the possible solutions were described. A clue to tackle the problem that the current discontinuous analysis method cannot solve large engineering problems was presented. For complex constitutive relation of rock mass, the research idea for the future were proposed. Finally, the author put forward his own idea and suggestions on several other hot and difficult problems, including the idea of nondeterministic analysis method as the surrounding rock stability criterion and the discontinuous analysis method of seepage problems for the true stress-water couple model of jointed rock mass. ©, 2015, Academia Sinica. All right reserved.