Abstract: This paper summarizes several description method of rock fracture at home and abroad and comprehensively reviews the research status of various description methods. It is discussed from two aspects of the macro rock structure plane tests and the numerical description based on digital image technology. The advantage and disadvantage, the apply range and the utilization extent of each method are introduced in detail from obtaining the surface feature of fracture structure in traditional 2D to simulating the fracture network in 3D, from the traditional manual measurement to the photogrammetry technology. This research is good to understand the underground deep rock structure well and bridge and supply a gap in research and practical application of rock mechanics theory. 

Key words: Fracture description, Precision scan line method, Drill photography technology, 3D laser scanning technology, Photogrammetry technology