Fuzzy decision model for rock mass failure analysis

In this paper, an approach of multicriteria decision-making using fuzzy logic is employed for analyzing rock failure. The stress space is divided into four (4) regions in which different failure mechanisms ranging from pure tensile to compressive-shear failure are assumed. A group of well-studied rock failure criteria are aggregated to form a criterion base. Fuzzy inter-attribute preference information is taken into account in accordance with the concrete decision through the interactive choice membership function shape and suitable aggregation operators, with varying degrees of compensation between the different criteria. The output data include the rock failure state valued from 0 to 1, criteria activated during the decision process, and parameters used in calculations. It shows from an analysis example that this approach provides a flexible and interactive decision-support-system that aids the rock failure analysis.