Introduction to Rock Mechanics

CE - 425

Lecture 9
Rock Classifications

Dr. Rana Muhammad Asad Khan

masadkhan87@gmail.com
03314438163
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Rock Classifications and its importance
Intact rock classification
Terzaghi (RQD) classification
Deere Classification
Rock structure rating (RSR)

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Empirical design
in Geotechnical
Engineering
• “Empirical
design” is based
upon experience
or observation
alone, without
using scientific
method or theory.
• Its application to
engineering
design relies on
comparing the
experiences of
past practices to
predict future
behaviors 3
Classification systems in design
• Even with many resources available for site investigations,
there still can remain problems in applying theories in
practical engineering circumstances.
• In rock mechanics three main approaches are common
• Analytical
• Observational
• Empirical
• Rock mass classification today form an integral part of the
most predominant design approach, the empirical design
method.
• Indeed, on many underground construction, tunneling and
mining projects , rock mass classification have provided the
only systematic design aid in.
• Otherwise, “trial-and-error” procedure

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Classification systems

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Parameters for Rock Mass Classification
• The strength of the intact rock material
(compressive strength, modulus of elasticity)
• The rock quality designation (RQD) which is a
measure of drill core quality or intensity of
fracturing
• Parameters of rock joints such as orientation,
spacing, and condition (aperture, surface
roughness, infilling and weathering)
• Groundwater pressure and flow
• In-situ stress
• major geological structures (folds and faults).

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Why Rock Mass Classification is important?
The objectives of rock mass classification are to:
• Identify the most important parameter influencing the rock mass.
• Divide the rock mass formation into grouped of similar behavior.
• Provide a basis for understanding the characteristics of each
rock mass class.
• Relate experiences of rock conditions at one site to those at
another
• Drive quantitative data and guidelines for engineering design
• Provide a common basis for communication between geologists
and engineers.

• The boundaries of structural region usually coincide with a

major structural feature such as a fault or with a change in rock
type.
• In some cases, significant changes in discontinuity spacing or
characteristics, within the same rock type, may necessitate the
division of rock mass into a number of small structural regions 7
Why Rock Mass Classification is important?
• Improving the quality of site investigation
by calling for the minimum input data as
classification parameters
• Providing quantitative information for
design purposes
• Enabling better engineering judgment and
more effective communication on a
project.

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Types of Rock Mass Classification
• Qualitative
• Geological Strength Index (GSI)
• Rock load
• Quantitative
• Q system
• Rock Mass Rating (RMR)
• Rock Structure Rating (RSR)
• Rock Quality Designation (RQD)

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Commonly use Rock Mass Classifications

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Commonly use Rock Mass Classifications

All underground
excavations

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INTACT ROCK CLASSIFICATION

Any useful classification scheme should be

relatively simple and based on readily
measurable physical properties.

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Deere and Miller (1966) Classification of
Intact Rocks
• Deere and Miller based their classification on unconfined
(uniaxial) compressive strength ( 1) and Young’s Modulus
(E)
• More specifically, the tangent modulus at 50% of the
ultimate strength ratio to the unconfined compressive
strength (E/ 1 ).
• Rocks are subdivided into five strength categories on a
geometric progression basis; very high – high – medium –
low -very low.
• Three ratio intervals are employed for the modulus ratio;
high – medium – low.
• Rocks are therefore classed as BH (high strength- high
ratio); CM (medium strength – medium ratio), etc.
• This data should be included with lithology descriptions
and RQD values. 14
Deere and Miller (1966) Classification of
Intact Rocks

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Deere and Miller (1966) Classification of
Intact Rocks

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Engineering classification of intact rock
based on compressive strength

Quartzite, diabase, and

dense basalt
Most igneous rocks,
most limestone, and
Dolomite, Well
cemented sandstones
and shale
Most Shales, porous
sandstones, and
limestones
Friable sandstones,
porous tuff

Clay-shale, rock salt

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Rock load Classification (Terzaghi 1946)

• Semi-quantitative but compréhensive classification

system
• Influence of geology on designing steel supported
tunnels
• Rock loads carried by steel sets were estimated based
on the descriptive classification of rock classes (Hoek,
2007).
• The objective of this system is to estimate the rock load
to be carried by the steel arches installed to support a
tunnel.

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Rock load Classification (Terzaghi 1946)

• It does not include the basic geological rock types.

• Considers some important characteristics that
control rock mass behavior such as the distinction
between foliated and non-foliated rocks, block size,
discontinuities, swelling and squeezing.
• The rock mass was divided into nine categories,
each with a description of the characteristic
discontinuities, block size, as well as swelling or
squeezing potential (Singh and Geol, 1999).

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Rock load Classification (Terzaghi 1946)

𝑝 = 𝐻𝑝𝛾𝐻

Support pressure (p)

Rock load factor (Hp)
γ is the unit weight of the rock mass,
H is the tunnel depth or thickness of the overburden

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Rock load Classification (Terzaghi 1946)

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Rock load Classification (Terzaghi 1946)

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Limitations of rock load classification
• Reasonable support pressure estimates for
small tunnels with diameter up to 6 meters
• Over-estimates for tunnels having diameter
more than 6 meters
• Estimated support pressure range for
squeezing and swelling rock conditions is wide
enough to be meaningfully applied.
• Cording and Deere (1972) suggest that
Terzaghi’s rock load system should be limited to
tunnels supported by steel sets because it does
not apply to openings supported by rock bolts
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Limitations of rock load classification
• According to Cecil (1970), this classification
system does not provide any quantitative
information regarding the rock mass properties.
• Singh et al. (1995) consider that the support
pressure in rock tunnels and caverns does not
increase directly with the excavation size.

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Rock Quality Designation (RQD)

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Rock Quality Designation (RQD)
• Palmström (1982) demonstrated that the RQD may
be estimated from the number of discontinuities per
unit volume, which are exposed on the outcrops or
exploration adits, using
𝑅𝑄𝐷 = 115 − 3.3𝐽𝑣
• where Jv, known as the volumetric joint count, is
the sum of the number of joints per unit length for
all joint sets.
• RQD is dependent on the orientation of the
borehole.
• The use of the volumetric joint count can be quite
useful in reducing this directional dependence.
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Rock Quality Designation (RQD)
• RQD is used as an input parameter in RMR and
Q systems.
• Cording and Deere (1972), Merritt (1972) and
Deere and Deere (1988) related RQD to
Terzaghi's rock load factors and to rock bolt
requirements in tunnels.
Limitations of RQD
• RQD does not reflect fully the rock mass quality
as it only considers the extent of fracturing of
the rock mass and does not account for the
strength of the rock or mechanical and other
geometrical properties of the joints. 32
Rock Quality Designation (RQD)
Limitations of RQD
• As RQD depends on the sampling line
orientation relative to preferential orientation
distribution of discontinuities, it does not give a
reliable estimate of the degree of jointing of the
rock mass.
• Furthermore, it cannot account for the length of
the considered joints.
• It is insensitive when the rock mass is
moderately fractured (Palmstrom and Broch,
2006)
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ROCK STRUCTURE RATING

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Rock Structure Rating
• Quantitative and multi parameter method for:
• rating rock mass
• selecting appropriate support
• Ground support prediction model
• First complete rock mass system
• first to make reference to shotcrete support
based on case histories of relatively small tunnels
supported by steel sets.
• RSR is a rating system for rock mass.
• Considers
I. Geological parameters
II. Construction parameters (Hoek, 2007).
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 Rock Structure Rating
𝑅𝑆𝑅 = 𝐴 + 𝐵 + 𝐶
Parameter A Parameter B Parameter C
Geology: Geometry: Groundwater:
a. Rock type origin a. Joint spacing. a. Overall rock mass
(igneous, metamorphic, b. Joint orientation quality on the basis
and sedimentary). (strike and dip). of A and B
b. Rock hardness (hard, c. Direction of combined.
medium, soft, and tunnel drive. b. Joint condition
decomposed). (good, fair, poor).
c. Geologic structure c. Amount of water
(massive, slightly inflow (in gallons per
faulted/folded, minute per 1000 feet
moderately of the tunnel).
faulted/folded, intensely
faulted/folded).

size of the tunnel, the direction of drive and method of excavation are the construction parameters 36
Rock Structure Rating
𝑅𝑆𝑅 = 𝐴 + 𝐵 + 𝐶

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Rock Structure Rating
𝑅𝑆𝑅 = 𝐴 + 𝐵 + 𝐶

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Rock Structure Rating
𝑅𝑆𝑅 = 𝐴 + 𝐵 + 𝐶

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Rock Structure Rating

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ROCK MASS RATING

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Rock Mass Rating (RMR)

• The RMR system or the Geomechanics

Classification was developed by Bieniawski
during 1972-1973 in South Africa to assess the
stability and support requirements of tunnels
(Bieniawski, 1973b).
• Since then it has been successively refined and
improved as more case histories have been
examined.
• It considers only a few basic parameters relating
to the geometry and mechanical conditions of
the rock mass are used.
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Rock Mass Rating (RMR)

It utilizes six parameters

• The uniaxial compressive strength of the intact rock
(σc): for rocks of moderate to high strength, point
load index is also acceptable (Bieniawski, 1989).
• Rock Quality Designation (RQD)
• Discontinuity spacing
• Condition of discontinuity surfaces
• Groundwater conditions
• Orientation of discontinuities relative to the
engineered structure

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Rock Mass Rating (RMR)

• No consideration of in-situ stress conditions.

• Divides rock mass into a number of structural
regions separated from other regions by faults.
• A structural region has same rock type or same
discontinuities characteristics.
• Each region is classified and characterized
separately (Hoek, 2007).

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Rock Mass Rating (RMR)

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Rock Mass Rating (RMR)

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Rock Mass Rating (RMR)

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Rock Mass Rating (RMR)

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Rock Mass Rating (RMR)

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