‫هندسية الصخور‬

ROCK ENGINEERING
PART II
Dr. Azealdeen Salih Al-Jawadi

Dams and water resources research center

Mosul university
The town of Longarone, located downstream of the Vajont
dam, before the failure in October 1963
The remains of the town of Longarone after the flood caused by the overtopping of the
Vajont dam as a result of the failure. More than 2000 persons were killed in this flood.
 ROCK MASS CLASSIFICATION
The classification systems have been developed to help
engineers in their work for constructions in or on rocks
and provide different types of supporting for projects.
 Major rock mass classification systems
Rock Mass Classification System Originator Application Areas
Rock Load Terzaghi, 1946 Tunnels with steel Support
Stand-up Time Lauffer, 1958 Tunneling
New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) Pacher, et al., 1964 Tunneling
Rock Quality Designation (RQD) Deere, et al., 1967 Core logging, tunneling
Rock Classification for Rock Mechanical Purposes Patching and Coates, 1968 For input in rock mechanics
The Unified Classification of Soils and Rocks Deere et al., 1969 General
Rock Mass Rating (RMR) Bieniawski, 1973 Tunnels, mines, slopes, foundations
Rock Mass Quality (Q) Barton, et al., 1974 Tunnels, mines, foundations
Rock Structure Rating (RSR) Wickham, et al., 1974 Tunneling
Strength-Block Size Franklin, 1975 Tunneling and mining
The Typological Classification Matula and Holzer, 1978 General
Basic Geotechnical Description (BGD) ISRM, 1981 General
Rock Mass Strength (RMS) Stille, et al., 1982 Metal mining
Unified Rock Mass Classification System (URCS) Williamson, 1984 General
Slope Mass Rating (SMR) Romana, 1985 Slopes
Weakening Coefficient System (WCS) Singh, 1986 Coal mining
Modified Rock Mass Rating (M-RMR) Unal and Ozkan, 1990 Mining
Geomechanics Classification System Laubscher, 1990 Mining
Rock Mass Index (RMi) Palmstrom, 1995 Rock engineering
Rock Mass Number (N) Goel, et al., 1995 Tunnels, mines, foundations
Geological Strength Index (GSI) Hoek and Brown, 1997 All underground excavations
Geo-Engineering Classification (GEC) Ramamurthy, 2004 For intact and jointed rocks
Japanese Geotechnical Society (JGS) Osada, et al., 2005 preliminary investigations
Rock Slope Stability (RSS) Liu and Chen, 2007 Slope stability
 Classification systems

Parameters
Terzaghi RMR Q RSR BGD URCS RMi GSI JGS

Rock type X X X X X
Density X
Intact

Strength X X X X X X X
Block size X X X X
RQD X X
Orientation X X X
Persistence X
Ends
Roughness X X X
Discontinuities

Strength X X X X
Weathering X X X X X X
Spacing X X X X X X
Openness
Healing X X
Number X X X X
Length X
State of stress X X
Angle of friction X
Ground water X X X
Blast damage X
Rock Mass Classification Systems

Rock Load Theory (Terzaghi)

 Rock Load Theory: Terzaghi
The rock load classification system is a forerunner to every other
classification system developed after the year 1946, since it is the earliest
reference to the use of a rock mass classification system for engineering
purposes. The structural discontinuities of the rock mass were classified
into nine categories from hard and intact rock condition to swelling rock
condition
Rock Definition
Type of Rock
Class
The rock is unweathered. It contains neither joints nor hair cracks. If fractured, it breaks across intact rock.
After excavation the rock may have some popping and spalling failures from roof. At high stresses,
I. Hard and intact
spontaneous and violent spalling of rock slabs may occur from sides or roof. The unconfined compressive
strength is equal to or more than 100 MPa.
Hard stratified The rock is hard and layered. The layers are usually widely and schistose separated. The
II. Jointed
rock may or may not have planes of weakness. In , such rock, spalling i.s quite common.
Massive A jointed rock. The joints are widely spaced. The joints may or may not be cemented. It may also contain
III. moderately hair cracks but the huge blocks between the joints are intimately interlocked so that vertical walls do not
jointed require lateral support. Spalling may occur.
Moderately Joints are less spaced. Blocks are about l m in size. The rock may or may not be hard. The joints may or
IV. blocky and may not be healed but the interlocking is so intimate that no side pressure is exerted or expected.
seamy
Closely spaced joints. Block size is less than l m. It consists of almost chemically intact rock fragments
Very blocky and
V. which are entirely separated from each other and imperfectly interlocked. Some side pressure of low
seamy
magnitude is expected. Vertical walls may require supports.
Completely Comprises chemically intact rock having the character of a crusher run aggregate. There is no interlocking.
VI. crushed but Considerable side pressure is expected on tunnel supports. The block size could be few centimeters to 30
chemically intact cm.
Squeezing is a mechanical process in which the rock advances into the tunnel opening without perceptible
Squeezing rock –
VII. increase in volume. Moderate depth is a relative term and could be upto 150m to 1000m.
moderate depth
Squeezing rock - The depth may be more than 150m. The maximum recommended tunnel depth is 1000m (2000m in very
VIII.
great depth good rocks).
Swelling is associated with volume change and is due to chemical change of the rock usually in presence of
IX. Swelling rock moisture or water. Some shales absorb moisture from air and swell. Rocks containing swelling minerals
such as montmorillonite, illite, kaolinite and others can swell and exert heavy pressure on rock supports.
Rock Mass Classification Systems

Rock Mass Rating (RMR)

Geomechanics Classification
 Rock Mass Rating: RMR
Also known as the Geomechanics Classification, was developed during
1972-1973 (Bieniawski, 1973). It was modified over the years as more
case histories became available and to conform to international standards
and procedures (Bieniawski, 1989). The following six parameters are
used to classify a rock mass using the RMR system:

•Unconfined compressive strength of rock material.

•Rock quality designation (RQD).
•Spacing of discontinuities.
•Condition of discontinuities.
•Ground water conditions.
•Orientation of discontinuities.
Rock Mass Classification Systems

Rock Mass Quality (Q-System)

 Rock Mass Quality: Q-System
The Q-system of rock mass classification was developed by the Norwegian
Geotechnical Institute in Norway (Barton, 1974). Its development represented a major
contribution to the subject of rock mass classification for a number of reasons: the
system proposed was based on an analysis of 212 tunnel case histories from
Scandinavia, it is a quantitative classification system, and it is an engineering system
facilitating the design of tunnel supports.
The Q-system is based on a numerical assessment of the rock mass quality using six
different parameters:
•Rock quality designation.
•Number of joint sets Jn.
•Roughness of the most unfavorable joint or discontinuity J r.
•Degree of alteration or filling along the weakest joint Ja.
•Water inflow Jw.
•Stress condition SRF.
These six parameters are grouped into three quotients to give the overall rock mass
quality Q as follows:
When is a rock engineering
design acceptable
ENGINNERING STRUCTURES
VS
STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY
Influence of rock stratification on lining pressure
 ANTICLINES AND SYNICLINES
Location of tunnel in an anticline tends to relieve the vertical pressure on
the lining whereas in a natural located in a syncline, there will be an
increase in pressure.
If located in water-bearing strata, anticlinal portion will have water
flowing from it, whereas in the syncline water will flow into it.
Tunnels close to a steep slope
Now we can discuss the subject