3DEC Version 5 can build and use Discrete Fracture Networks (DFNs) to
create joints in 3DEC models. But, because all blocks in 3DEC must be
convex, cuts must split blocks entirely, even if the fracture only
passes partway through the block. This problem is resolved by assigning
properties to the subcontacts lying within the fracture that differ from
those lying outside of the fracture — which is easily accomplished with
the change dfn command.
A problem with this approach is the plotting of joint materials. Joint plots in 3DEC color joints by contact material number. But, with DFNs, it is possible to have some subcontacts
with different material numbers than those of the host contact. The
figure below shows an example in which the contact centroid lies outside
of the DFN fracture so it is assigned the material number corresponding
to outside of the fracture (in this case material 3). When you plot the
joints and color by material number, it appears that the change dfn command didn’t work!
To see what is really happening, you can create user-defined scalars
corresponding to each subcontact and color them according to the
subcontact material number (see the FISH function included with the
example below). This shows that the change dfn command did
indeed work and that the subcontacts have been assigned the correct
material number (2 in this case). You can also convince yourself that it
is behaving correctly by contouring the joint properties.
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