From Measured In Situ Stress to Dynamic Simulation: A Calibrated 3DEC Model of a Rock Quarry

Accurately reproducing the mechanical and dynamic behavior of fractured rock masses remains a key challenge in rock engineering, especially in marble quarry environments where discontinuity networks, excavation geometry, and topographic effects induce highly non-linear stress distributions. This study presents a multidisciplinary and physically calibrated numerical approach integrating field stress measurements, structural characterization, and dynamic modeling using the Distinct Element Method (DEM). The analysis focuses on a marble quarry located in the Apuan Alps (Italy), a tectonically complex metamorphic massif characterized by intense deformation and pervasive jointing that strongly influence rock mass behavior under both static and seismic loading. The initial stress field was calibrated using in situ measurements obtained by the CSIRO Hollow Inclusion technique, enabling reconstruction of the three-dimensional principal stress regime and its direct incorporation into a 3DEC numerical model. The calibrated model was then employed to simulate the dynamic response of the rock mass under seismic loading consistent with the Italian Building Code (NTC 2018). This coupled static–dynamic workflow provides a realistic evaluation of ground motion amplification, stress concentration, and potential failure mechanisms along pre-existing discontinuities. Results demonstrate that physically validated stress initialization yields a significantly more realistic response than models based on simplified lithostatic or empirical assumptions. The approach highlights the value of integrating geological, geotechnical, and seismological data into a unified modeling framework for a sustainable quarry stability analysis in fractured rock masses.