Faults

joints and fractures are widely distributed in rock masses

and these discontinuities of existence and development have a significant effect on the whole strength

deformation and stability of rock mass. Thus

studying the evolvement of initiation

propagation and coalescence of primary flaws is of significance in theory and practice for estimating the safety and reliability of rock engineering. The extended finite element method (XFEM) is a numerical method for modelling discontinuities within the classical finite element framework. Since the computation mesh in XFEM is independent of the discontinuities

re-meshing for moving discontinuities can be overcome. Owing to the unique advantage for fracture analysis

XFEM has been employed to simulate hydraulic fracture and crack propagation of rock mass. The basic theory of XFEM and its application in simulating crack propagation are studied in detail. The numerical model of solving the frictional contact problem and hydraulic fracture propagation is developed. The calculation model is used to solve some geotechnical problems

such as deformation and failure of jointed rock slopes and modelling fracture propagation of gravity dam foundations.