%0 Journal Article %T Effects of Joints Spacing on Static Bearing Capacity of Rock Foundations in the case of Punching Failure %J Amirkabir Journal of Civil Engineering %I Amirkabir University of Technology %Z 2588-297X %A Imani, Meysam %A fahimifar, ahmad %A Sharifzadeh, Mostafa %D 2015 %\ 02/20/2015 %V 46 %N 2 %P 91-100 %! Effects of Joints Spacing on Static Bearing Capacity of Rock Foundations in the case of Punching Failure %K Bearing Capacity %K Rock foundation %K Punching failure %K Spacing %K Direct approach %K Homogenization approach %K Distinct element %R 10.22060/ceej.2015.388 %X In this paper, using distinct element method, static bearing capacity of rock foundations containing one, two and three joint sets is investigated in the case of punching failure. The effect of joints spacing is incorporated to the analyses using a dimensionless factor, named spacing ratio (SR). Different values for SR are selected and variation of the bearing capacity versus SR is monitored. Then, the magnitude of SR in which the bearing capacity does not change significantly, is determined. The findings show that for SR<30, increasing the SR results in decreasing the bearing capacity, while for SR>30, the joints spacing do not affect the bearing capacity, significantly. Hence, SR=30 can be used as a criterion for analysis of rock foundations either as an equivalent continuum or a discontinuous medium. Using this criterion will tend to greatly reduce the time required for the bearing capacity analysis of rock foundations. %U https://ceej.aut.ac.ir/article_388_9cb4695970702b5ff580636eb5d0407c.pdf