Introduction to Rock Mechanics

ENB371: Geotechnical Engineering 2 ENB371: Geotechnical Engineering 2

Chaminda Gallage Chaminda Gallage
Outline of the lecture
Introduction
Rock formation and rock types
Rock Classification Engineering Classification
more focused on applications
Shear strength of discontinuities
Introduction -1
Rock mechanics adopts many of the techniques developed in soil
mechanics such as: Mohr Coulomb law
But, the behaviour of rocks is far more complex than the behaviour of
soils, in many cases rock mechanics uses techniques unknown to soil
mechanics.
Rock mechanics deals with properties of rock and special
methodology required for design for rock related components of methodology required for design for rock related components of
engineering schemes
The rock considered in rock mechanics is in fact the rock mass, which
composes intact rock materials and rock discontinuities.
Rock discontinuities dominate the mechanical and engineering
behaviours of rock. The existence of discontinuity depends on the
scale. The discontinuous nature and scale dependence feature is not
common in other man-made materials.
Introduction -2
Rock mechanics is applied to various engineering disciplines:
Civil
Mining
Hydropower
Petroleum. Petroleum.
In civil engineering, it involves:
Foundation
Slope
Tunnel.
Intact rock and Rock mass
Intact rock: This is
the smallest element
of rock block not cut
by any fracture.
Introduction -3
by any fracture.
Rock mass: In-situ
rock together with its
discontinuities and
weathering profile.
Intact rock
Intact rock
Physical properties (eg. Mineral, colour,
Introduction -4
Physical properties (eg. Mineral, colour,
texture etc.)
Mechanical properties (eg. UCS, Point
Load Index etc.)
Rocks are divided into three groups according to
their origin
Igneous Rocks
Metamorphic Rocks
Sedimentary Rocks
Rock types and their formation -1
Sedimentary Rocks
ROCK CYCLEa scheme that represents the processes of
continuous changes that connect the three major groups of
rocks:
Rock Cycle
IGNEOUS ROCKS are formed when hot molten rock
material, called magma, solidifies
These samples represent igneous These samples represent igneous
rocks, although each exhibit rocks, although each exhibit
different textures. different textures.
Sedimentary Rocks
Sediments are formed by weathering (mechanical,
chemical) of rocks and by organic matters (animal, trees)
Sediments are transported and deposited in layers
Sediments can harden into sedimentary rock by Pressure
(weight of above layers) and cementation (mineral dissolved
in water).
Sedimentary rock covers about three-quarters of continental
areas and most of the sea floor
Sedimentary rocks are typically layered,
(although layering is not diagnostic of only
sedimentary rocks)
Metamorphic rocks form deep in the earth where high temperature,
great pressure, and chemical reactions cause one type of rock to change
into another type of rock
Metamorphic rocks begin to form at 12-16 km beneath the earth's
surface.
They begin changing at temperatures of 100- 800
0
C for a few million
years, it can turn into a new kind of rock
Metamorphic Rocks
years, it can turn into a new kind of rock
Metamorphic Rocks
Rock mass classification
During preliminary design stages of a project, when very little detailed
information on the rock mass and its stress and hydrological characteristics
is available, the rock mass classification schemes can be used to provide
initial estimate of support requirements, and to provide estimates of strength
and deformation properties of the rock mass
Why do we require rock classification?
Stability of rock slopes- civil
engineering
Tunnel design
Petroleum engineering- extraction
of crude oil and natural gas
Underground and open cut mining
Rock mass classifications are based
on the following parameters:
Quality of rock
Intact rock strength
Fracture spacing, orientation
Infill material Infill material
Fracture roughness
Fracture condition (eg. tight or loose)
Wet or dry condition
Geology
Site investigation
We carry out site investigations
to determine the quality of rock
beneath the soil.
How to measure parameters required for rock classification?
Rock Quality Designation Index (RQD)
How to measure parameters required for rock classification?
(After Deere, 1989)
Correlation between RQD and Rock
Mass Quality
(after Deere, 1968)
RQD (%) Rock Quality
< 25 Very poor < 25 Very poor
25 - 50 Poor
50 - 75 Fair
75 - 90 Good
90 - 100 Excellent
Example for RQD
From a core run of 1.50 m, the total core
recovery was 1.25 m as shown in the
figure. Calculate RQD for the rock core
sample and identify the quality of the
rock mass.
50
250
75
100
125
50
75 75
10
0
15
0
100
50
125
100
run core the of length Total
cm 10 pieces core of Length

>
=

RQD
100
1500
) 125 150 100 125 100 250 (

+ + + + +
= RQD
% 57 = RQD Rock quality: Fair
Measurement of intact strength
Unconfined compressive strength (UCS or q
u
)
Point load index test - UCS = 24 I
s(50)
Correlation factor may vary for certain rock types.
Suggested to determine for a particular rock through
How to measure parameters required for rock classification?
Suggested to determine for a particular rock through
comparative study.
Is = P/D
2
Triaxial strength tests - high pressure steel cells.
UCS apparatus
Rock specimens normally tested
under compression.
No lateral confining pressure
Maximum compressive stress at
How to measure parameters required for rock classification?
rock
Maximum compressive stress at
failure is known as UCS
Point Load Tester
According to Brook (1985), the formula to
convert the force reading to I
s(50)
value is as
follows:
I
s(50)
= FP / (D
e
)
2
UCS = 24 I
s(50)
I
s(50)
= FP / (D
e
)
Where
F = size correction factor = (D
e
/50)
0.45
P = applied load (MN)
D
e
= (4A/)
0.5
A= minimum cross sectional area of the specimen (m
2
)
The units of the point load index are MPa and whereas the test is
considered to cause tensile failure
Triaxial Test High pressure
Rock strength Laboratory estimation
Strength class
Extremely High (EH)
Very High (VH)
High (H)
Unconfined Compressive
Strength (UCS), MPa
>250
100-250
50-100
High (H)
Medium High (MH)
Weak (W)
Very Weak (VW)
Extremely Weak
(EW)
50-100
25-50
5-25
1-5
0.6*-1
Direct shear apparatus for rock
Rock mass classification systems
The two most widely used rock mass classifications are:
Rock Mass Rating (RMR) Bieniawski (1984), ISRM
(1978) (1978)
Rock mass Quality (Q system) NGI (1974)
RMR classification
RMR classification is based on the following 6
parameters:
UCS of intact rock
RQD
Joint spacing
Joint condition (eg. tight, rough?)
Ground water condition, and
Joint orientation (eg. dip angle)
RMR = relevant ratings
Guidelines for excavation and support of 10 m span rock tunnels- RMR
system
Example for RMR
A tunnel is to be driven through weathered granite rock. It has a joint set of 59degrees against
the tunnel direction. The point load index of 8MPa and RQD value of 73% were estimated.
The joints are spaced at 390mm. They are slightly rough and slightly weathered with a
separation of <1mm. Tunnel conditions is expected to be wet. Determine the rock mass class
and tunnel support conditions.
Table Item Value Rating
A.1 Point load index 8 MPa 12
A.2 RQD 73 % 13
A.3 Spacing of discontinuities 390 mm 10 A.3 Spacing of discontinuities 390 mm 10
A.4 & E Condition of discontinuities
Slightly rough, slightly
weathered, separation < 1mm
25
A.5 Groundwater wet 7
B & F Adjustment for joint orientation
Tunnel, dip = 59 deg., dipping
against tunnel direction
-5
Total(RMR) 62
Rock mass quality (Q) system
Equivalent Dimension (D
e
)
Other Useful Equations
Permanent roof support
pressure
Shear Strength of Rock
Discontinuities
Introduction
All rock masses contain discontinuities such as bedding planes, joints,
shear zones and faults
Rock mass failure is controlled by sliding on the discontinuities
To analyses the stability of individual rock blocks, it is necessary to
understand the shear strength of discontinuities of rock which separate
the block the block
Shear Strength of Planar Surfaces
Bedding surface is planar having no surface irregularities or undulations.
Filling material presents between two surfaces.
angle friction Residual strength, shear Residual
firction of angle surface, ceented of Cohesion c stress, Normal strength, shear Peak
r r
n
= =
= = = =


p
The Basic Friction Angle
b
Shear strength of smooth rock surfaces without any filling materials
between them

r
=
n
tan
b
The roughness component (i) is then added to basic friction angle
(
b
) to get effective friction angle of the discontinuities
Typical
b
Values
Shear Strength of Rough Surfaces
After Patton (1966)

r
=
n
tan (
b
+ i),
where i = slope of the asperity = tan
-1
(
v
/
h
) at
maximum dilation
Bartons Equation for i
i = JRC log (JCS/
n
)
where
n
= mean effective normal stress acting on the joint surface
JRC = Joint roughness coefficient
JCS = Joint wall compressive strength (JCS UCS)
UCS = Unconfined (uniaxial) compressive strength
Field Estimate of JRC -1
The joint roughness coefficient (JRC) can be estimated by comparing the appearance of
discontinuity surface of rock with standard profile published by Barton & Choubey
(1977).
Field Estimate of JRC -2
As an alternative method, the joint roughness coefficient (JRC) can be estimated by
measuring amplitude of asperity Barton (1982).
Field Estimate of JCS ( UCS)
The joint compressive strength (JRC) can be estimated in the field by performing
Schmidt rebound hammer test ( Deere and Miller ,1966).
log JCS = 0.00088
r
R + 1.01
R = Schmidt rebound hammer number R = Schmidt rebound hammer number

r
= Unit weight of rock
Scale Effect on JRC and JCS
Barton and Bandis (1982)
JRC
o
, JCS
o
and L
o
(length) refer to 100 mm
laboratory scale samples and JRC
n
, and L
n
refer to in
situ block sizes.
Instantaneous Shear Strength (
i
, c
i
) -1
Because of non-linear strength envelope, c an need to be defined for
design purposes
** When pore water (u) is present in a rock mass,
n
(normal stress) will be replaced by
effective normal stress (
n
=
n
u) in all the equations presented in this topic