2/17/2009

ROCK MECHANICS
Rock classification

H
Hasan Gh d h
Ghasemzadeh

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

١
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Rock classification

• Terzaghi classification
• Goodman classification
• Rock Quality Designation (RQD)
• Rock Structure Rating (RSR)
• Rock Mass Rating (RMR)
• Tunneling Rock Quality Index (Q)

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٢
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

1
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Terzaghi classification (1946)

• Intact rock
• Stratified rock
• Moderately jointed rock
• Blocky & seamy rock
• Crushed rock
• Squeezing rock
• Swelling rock

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٣
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Goodman classification(1980)
• Crystalline texture
• Clastic texture
• Very fine‐grained rock
• Organic rock

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٤
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

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Goodman classification(1980)
• Crystalline texture

Dolomite

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٥
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Goodman classification(1980)
• Crystalline texture

Gneiss

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٦
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

3
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Goodman classification(1980)
• Very fine‐grained rock

Basalt

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٧
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Goodman classification(1980)
• Very fine‐grained rock

Slate

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٨
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

4
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Goodman classification(1980)
• Very fine‐grained rock

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٩
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Goodman classification(1980)
• Organic rock

C l
Coal

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

١٠
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

5
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Rock Quality Designation (RQD)
Interbeds

‰ Basalt Breccia

‰ Vesicular Basalt

‰ Basalt interiors

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

١١
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Rock Quality Designation (RQD)

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

١٢
K.N. ToosiDeere (1989)
University of Technolgy

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Rock Quality Designation (RQD)
RQD= {(core longer than 100mm)/(total core length mm)}*100

Rock quality RQD

Very poor 0-25
Poor 25-50
Fair 50-75
Good 75-90
Excellent 90-100

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

١٣
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

RQD

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

١٤
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

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RQD
‫ﻧﻮع و ﺳﺨﺘﻲ ﺳﻨﮓ و ﺳﺎﺧﺘﺎر زﻣﻴﻦ ﺷﻨﺎﺳﻲ ؟‬

‫فاصله و جھت درزه ھا ؟‬

‫جريان آب؟‬

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

١٥
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Discontinuity Orientation ‫ﺟﻬﺖ درزه‬

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(RSR)
Rock Structure Rating (RSR)
Vickham et al. (1972)

RSR=A+B+C=<100
A : General geology

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

١٧
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

(RSR)
Rock Structure Rating (RSR)
B : Joint pattern

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

١٨
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

9
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(RSR)
Rock Structure Rating (RSR)

C : Ground water, joint direction

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

Gpm=3.785 liter per minute ١٩
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Rock Mass Rating (RMR)
Geomechanics classification
Bieniawski (1976‐1989)
Numerous amendments since 1976 For assessing the stability of rock slopes

• strength of the intact rock

• RQD
• Groundwater
Discontinuities
• Spacing, length, roughness
• Aperture width, infill, weathering

RMR=A1+A2+A3+(A4 or E)+A5+B=<100

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٢٠
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

10
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ROCK MASS RATING (RMR)
Bieniawski (1989)

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٢١
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

ROCK MASS RATING (RMR)
Bieniawski (1989)

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٢٢
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

11
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ROCK MASS RATING (RMR)
Bieniawski (1989)

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٢٣
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Rock Mass Rating (RMR)

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٢٤
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

12
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RMR for slopes or tunnels
Additional factors applied to RMRbasic: 

• Accounts for excavation method

• Accounts for joint orientation

• “Stand up time” for various tunnel spans based on RMR
• Modified RMR for Mining 
‐MRMR (Laubscher)
‐MBR (Cummings et al) 

‫ ﺟﻬﺖ در ﻧﻈﺮ ﮔﺮﻓﺘﻦ ﺗﻨﺶ ﺑﺮﺟﺎ و ﺗﻨﺶ ﻫﺎي اﻳﺠﺎد ﺷﺪه در‬RMR ‫ﻃﺒﻘﻪ ﺑﻨﺪي اﺻﻼح ﺷﺪه‬
‫اﺛﺮ ﺣﻔﺎري و ﻫﻤﭽﻨﻴﻦ در ﻧﻈﺮ ﮔﺮﻓﺘﻦ ﺗﺎﺛﻴﺮات اﻧﻔﺠﺎر و ﻫﻮازدﮔﻲ‬

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٢٥
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Evaluation of Tunnels 
based on RMR

Example: 10 m span RMR = 80 Stand up time > 4 years

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh
٢٦
RMR
K.N. Toosi University time ≈ 2 days
= 50 ofStand up
Technolgy

13
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Q  system 
(Rock tunnelling quality index)

Initial data base was 212 cases of nominally unlined

tunnels and caverns
50 rock types were initially represented
Numerous shear zones and faults containing clay
N
Numerous shear
h zones and
d faults
f lt containing
t i i clay
l
A larger number of igneous and metamorphic rocks

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٢٧
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q  system 
(Rock tunnelling quality index)

RQD Jr J w
Q=
Jn J a SRF
block size
Active stress and
frictional t effect
water ff t

0.001 ≤ Q ≤ 2000

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٢٨
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

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 2/17/2009

Q  system 
(Rock tunnelling quality index)

RQD Jr J w
Q=
Jn J a SRF
0.001 ≤ Q ≤ 1000
structure of the rock mass

• RQD Rock quality designation (10‐100)
• Jn = joint set number (0.5 – 20)
• The ratio RQD/Jn ∼ block size
Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh
٢٩
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q  system

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٣٠
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

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Q system
RQD Jn
Very poor 0 25
0-25 One joint set 2

Poor 25-50 Two joint sets 4

Fair 50-75
Two joint set + 6
Good 75-90 random
Three joint sets 12
Excellent 90-100

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٣١
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q system
Jn

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٣٢
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

16
 2/17/2009

Q system

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٣٣
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q system

RQD Jr J w
Q=
Jn J a SRF
roughness and frictional characteristics
• Jr = joint roughness number (0.5 -5)
• Ja = the joint alteration number (0.75 – 20:
hard to soft filling)
• The ratio Jr/Ja ∼ joint roughness & friction
Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh
٣٤
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

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Q  system
Jr

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٣٥
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q system
Jr

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٣٦
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

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Q system
Jr

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٣٧
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q  system
Ja

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٣٨
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

19
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Q  system
Ja

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٣٩
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q  system
Ja

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٤٠
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

20
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Q  system

Jr/Ja

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٤١
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q  system
Jr/Ja

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٤٢
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

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Q system

RQD Jr J w
Q=
Jn J a SRF
Active stress

• Jw = joint water reduction factor (1 – 0.05:

0 05: dry to
water under pressure)
• SRF = the stress reduction factor (0.5 – 400: low
stress & favourable orientation to high stress)
Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh
٤٣
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q  system

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٤٤
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

22
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Q  system
Jw

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٤٥
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q  system
Jw

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٤٦
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

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Q  system
Jw

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٤٧
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q  system

SRF

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٤٨
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

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Q  system

SRF

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٤٩
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q  system

SRF

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٥٠
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

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Q  system

SRF

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٥١
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q  system

SRF

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٥٢
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

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Q  system

2000)

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٥٣
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q  system

SRF

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٥٤
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

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Q  system

SRF

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٥٥
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q  system
SRF

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٥٦
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

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Q  system

SRF

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٥٧
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q  system

SRF

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٥٨
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

29
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Q  system 
Example

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٥٩
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Example Q  system 

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٦٠
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

30
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Q  system
Example

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٦١
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q  RMR comparison

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٦٢
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

31
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Q  RMR comparison

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٦٣
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Q  RMR comparison

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٦٤
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

32
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Q  RMR comparison

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٦٥
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Tunnels and the Q rating
• Require ESR and De
– De = equivalent dimension 

Excavation span or height

De =
ESR
– ESR = excavation support ratio
– ESR is a function of the tunnel use and acceptable level of risk
p

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٦٦
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

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ESR Values (Barton et al 1974)

Temporary mine openings 3-5

Permanent mine openings, water tunnels for 1.6 - 2

hydro power, etc.

Power stations, major road & railway 1

tunnels etc.
tunnels, etc

Underground nuclear power stations, railway 0.8

stations, etc.

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٦٧
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Tunnels and the Q rating

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٦٨
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

34
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Tunnels and the Q rating

٦٩
Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Evaluation of Tunnels 
based on Q rating
Example:
1)
• 10 m span & ESR = 2
• Q= 40

2)
10 m span & ESR = 1
• Q= 40
Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh
٧٠
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

35
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Tunnels and the Q rating

Example: 10 m span ESR = 2

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh
10 m span ESR = 1
٧١
Q=Toosi
K.N. 40 University of Technolgy Q= 40

Evaluation of Tunnels 
based on Q rating
Example:
• 10 m span & ESR = 2
• Q= 40
Requires rock bolts at 3 m spacing, 2.4 m long 

• 10 m span & ESR = 1
• Q= 40
Q 40
Requires rock bolts at 3 m spacing, 3 m long 

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٧٢
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

36
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Rock Bolts‐ Q system

CT Bolts

• Rock bolt lengths are for an ESR of 1.0 (conservative) 

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٧٣
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Tunnels 
based on Q rating

Final Example:
Final Example:
• 10 m span & ESR = 1
• Q= 10
Requires rock bolts at 2.3 m spacing, 3 m long in 
40 mm shotcrete

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٧٤
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

37
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Tunnels and the Q rating

Example: Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٧٥
10 m span ESR = 1 Q=K.N.
10 Toosi University of Technolgy

Stand‐up Time

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٧٦
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

38
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Note 

• blasting
blasting  damage 
damage will
will  result
result  in
in  the
the  creation
creation  of
of 
new  joints,  can  be  accounted  for  by  reducing 
the  RQD  value  for  the  blast  damaged  zone 
(Loset, 1992)

• it  is  appropriate 

pp p to  ggive  a  range 
g of  values  to 
each  parameter  in  a  rock  mass  classification 
and  to  evaluate  the  significance  of  the  final 
result.

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٧٧
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Rock Bolts‐ Q system
Lengths (L) can be stimated based on the excavation span (B) :   

L = (2 + 0.15 B) / ESR

• maximum unsupported span can be estimated from:

Bmax = 2 (ESR) (Q)0.4
• relationship between the value of Q and the permanent roof 
support pressure (P roof) (Grimstad and Barton ,1993) 

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٧٨
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

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Histogram

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٧٩
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

Histogram

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٨٠
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

40
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Histogram

Dr. Hasan Ghasemzadeh

٨١
K.N. Toosi University of Technolgy

41