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    3 views4 pages

    ISRM Characterization of Swelling Rock Sachpazis Library

    Uploaded by

    Costas Sachpazis

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 4
    INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR ROCK MECHANICS. COMMISSION ON SWELLING ROCK Task A CHARACTERIZATION OF SWELLING ROCK, OCTOBER, 1983 INTRODUCTION ‘The Commission on Swelling Rock intends to provide information to the rock mechanics community that facilitates recognition of swelling rock problems and that provides a basis for engineering solutions to these prob- Jems. This information will consist of reports on the following items, which in the opinion of the Commission are essential for the understanding and consideration of swelling rock behavior: 1—Characterization of Swelling Rock 2—Identification of Problem Areas (@ Foundations, Slopes, and Surface Excavations (®) Underground Excavations 3.—Analysis and Design Procedures for Structures on or in Swelling Rocks @ Foundations and Surface Excavations (®) Underground Excavations 4—Test Procedures (@ Index tests to identify swelling materials (@) Design tests to predict swelling pressures or movements Ttem 1 «Characterization of Swelling Rock» is presented in this report. Given the many ambiguities and often “oose terminology used in discussions on swelling rock, it was necessary to provide a series of definitions and boundary conditions. As is usually the case when trying to define complex physical phenomena, considerable disagreement exists on how to describe them. The attempt documented here does not pretend to satisfy everybody because it had to strike a balance between encompassing and detailed definition. Nevertheless, it is thought to provide a sound and satisfactory basis for the information on swelling rock that will be presented in the other reports Acknowledgements — Commission members participating in the work leading to the preparation of this report were W.E, Bamford AUSTRALIA (Presiden); L. G. Alexander AUSTRALIA; A.J. da Costa Nunes BRAZIL; H. H. Einstein USA; M. Gysel SWITZERLAND; C.F, Lee’ CANADA; E.N. Lindner USA; F.T. Madsen SWITZERLAND; G. Mesti USA: LJ. Olivier S AFRICA; L. B. Underwood USA. A.1 Phenomenological Definition SWELLING OF ROCK IS THE TIME DEPENDENT VOLUME INCREASE INVOLVING PHYSICO- “CHEMICAL REACTION WITH WATER. © Swelling is pronounced in rock whose mineralogy favours physico-chemical reaction involving water, ie. rock containing clay minerals, anhydrite or Pyrite (marcasite) © Swelling of rock masses can occur as swelling of intact rock, as swelling of gouge and fillers in the discontinuous rock mass, or as swelling of a combi- nation of the above. © Swelling can occur in rock or soil. Defining a boundary between rock and soil in general and swell- ing rock and expansive soil in particular is often not possible, However, in principle, expansive soils will not be considered here. Defining a distinct boundary between soil and_ rock {is a matter of dispute. Opinions diverge, either considering nature to be a continuum with no clear boucdaries or defining bound aties, exp. associated with mechanical properties or geologic ‘age. Tt cannot be the purpose of this statement to resolve this dispute, (For this reason itis acceptable to consider eg. an over- ‘contolidated clay to be a rock oF & soft clay shale to be a sol). ‘The difference between sweling. rock and expansive soil prob- Jems can be the Tact that the latter often involve unsaturated soils with suction pressure changes as a major issue. Because (of these known differences on one hand and the difficulty of distinction on the other hand, expansive soils wil not be consid ‘ered in this statement. Further work on establishing = boundary ‘may however be of interest. © Volume increase solely caused by stress relief, ie. undrained or elastic rebound, will not be consid- ered here, Stress relief, however, has also a very important effect on swelling in combination with physico-chemical reactions (see A.2 Underlying Mechanisms). Rates and duration of swelling vary over a wide range, Swelling rates as observed in the form of tunnel invert heave can og. vary between practically imperceptible to 1 meter ‘of more per month. Swell duration can vary between eg. @ few Gays and more than a century. ‘© Swelling is to be distinguished from squeezing. Occurrence of the phenomens and usage of the terms welling» and queezingy often cause confusion. ‘Swelling Usually involves void volume increase while squeezing Goes ot (except for dilataney effects). Also, squeezing necessarily in- Volves exceeding the shearing resistance, while swelling often does not but can also include shearing ‘of rock. (Particularly, ‘the swelling of rook masses, as distinguished from intact rock, cean involve time dependent volume increase dic to progres Seeing) @ Rocks that are susceptible to swelling often weather (lake) strongly if subject to water content changes. ‘Weathering (slaking) will not be considered here. ‘Weathering (or slaking) of swell susceptible rocks can ‘occur if they are subject to swellig-drying cycles or intensive aircdrying. The durability of rock can be significantly affected. ‘The (phenomenon of slaking, although often consequent upon swelling, 8 complex and may involve other causes and mecha- nisms; itis not treated here but should be considered by a special working group. A.2 Underlying Mechanisms THE SWELLING MECHANISM IS A COMBI- NATION OF PHYSICO-CHEMICAL REACTION INVOLVING WATER AND STRESS RELIEF. THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL REACTION WITH WATER IS USUALLY THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO SWELLING BUT IT CAN ONLY TAKE PLACE SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH OR FOLLOWING STRESS RELIEF. © The major physico-chemical mechanisms involving water are: Clay Minerals: Water is adsorbed at the exterior surface of clay minerals and it is taken up at internal surfaces of clay minerals having expandable layers. Swell pressure depends on the interparticle distance of clay particles and intraparticle distance between expandable layers. Swell heave depends on the amount of clay particles and expandable layers. Rock with expandable layer than those with partite. thal adsor Anhydrite-Gypsum Hydration of anhydrite (CaSO, + 2H,0 + + CaSO, +2H;0) produces gypsum with a maximum volume increase of about 60%. Anhydrite does usually, not transform itself directly {nto gypsum by association of water; anhydrite is usually dis- solved by water followed by gypsum precipitation from this solution. 60% volume increase only occurs if completely dry anhydrite without voids is exposed to water in an open system. ‘Naturally oocurring anhydrite. with voids will show a smaller ‘volume increase; the same holds for a closed system with limited ‘water supply. Hydration of anhydrite takes place on its surface. There- fore, massive anhydrite with few fissures practically does not swell while finely divided anhydrite does swell substantially. ‘An important combined swelling mechanism occurs if the same rock contains anhydrite and clay minerals, e.g. finely

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