Rock Tunnel Quality Q-System

Created By: Shaloo Puri

Website: www.geotechnicaldesigns.com.au
Email id : s.puri@geotechnicaldesigns.com.au
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 Concept of Q-System
The Q-system was developed as a rock tunnelling quality index by the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI)
(Barton et al 1974).

Evalueate – Large no. of underground tunneling case studies. The Q-system is widely used in the mining,
tunneling, and civil engineering industries to assess rock mass quality and to design appropriate support
systems and excavation methods. It is a useful tool for engineers and geologists to understand the behavior of
rock masses and to ensure the safety and stability of engineering structures in rock formations.

The numerical value of this index Q is defined by:

RQD - Rock Quality Designation measuring the fracturing degree (Higher RQD values indicate better rock
quality)
Jn - joint set number accounting for the number of joint sets.
Jr - joint roughness number accounting for the joint surface roughness. It ranges from 0 (smooth) to 20 (very
rough).
Ja - joint alteration number indicating the degree of weathering, alteration and filling. It ranges from 0
(unaltered) to 3 (highly altered).

Jw - joint water reduction factor accounting for the problem from groundwater pressure,
SRF - stress reduction factor indicating the influence of in situ stress.
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 Concept of Q-System
RQD - (Higher RQD values indicate better rock quality)
Jn - Joint sets are groups of joints that have similar orientations and properties.
Jr - It ranges from 0 (smooth) to 20 (very rough).
Ja - It ranges from 0 (unaltered) to 3 (highly altered).
Jw - including the degree of saturation, water pressure, and the presence of water-bearing joints.
SRF - It ranges from 0 (no stress relief) to 10 (complete stress relief).
Q value is considered as a function of only three parameters which are crude measures of:

(a) Block size: RQD / Jn

(b) Inter-block shear strength : Jr / Ja
(c) Active stress: Jw / SRF

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How to Calculate Q

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 Determination of Support Pressure

• With the help of Q value we can determine the support pressure which will come on the roof and walls of
the tunnel after excavation.
• This is empirical method of determining pressures on roof and walls of tunnel after excavation.
• With the help of these pressure we can determine supports for the tunnel.

Here we determine two type of pressures:

1. Short term Pressures
2. Long Term pressures

The support must be designed to resist deformations induced by dead weight of loosened rock as well as those
induced by readjustment of stress field in the rock surrounding the excavation. These short term and long term
Pressures help in determining such type of support measures.
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 Determination of Support Pressure
Very Good to Poor Rock Classes for Q = 10 to 4
To achieve these objectives in rock classes from very good to poor, it is proposed to use rock bolts along
with SFRS/Shotcrete as support system. The support system of SFRS/Shotcrete and Rock bolts will be
provided concurrently. For design, purpose of SFRS/Shotcrete thickness shall be worked out based on
initial short-term and ultimate support pressure

Final support system shall be in form of Rock bolts and SFRS/Shotcrete, which shall be designed, based
on Ultimate support pressures

Very Poor Rock Classes for Q = 4 to 0.01

For Rock class below Very Poor, SFRS thickness shall be worked out based on initial short-term roof
support pressure. The SFRS thickness shall be adequate to resist short-term pressures. Final support
system shall be in form of Steel Ribs, which shall be designed, based on Ultimate support pressures

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 Typical Supports for Different Rock Classes

Fair Rock
Good Rock
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 Typical Supports for Different Rock Classes

Very Poor Rock

Poor Rock
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Typical Supports for Different Rock Classes

Very Poor to Extremely Poor Rock

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 Ultimate Support Pressures
We need to determine separate supports for tunnel roof and tunnel walls bydetermining the following
pressures
• Calculation of Ultimate Roof Support Pressure
• Calculation of Wall Support Pressure

1. Calculation of Ultimate Roof Support Pressure

0.2 1 / 3
Static Pru  .Qru . f . f ' Table - 1
Jr
Seismic: Pr = Pru + (αv) * Pru

Where,
Pru = Ultimate roof pressure in MPa
Q =Ultimate roof rock mass quality
Jr = Joint roughness number = 1.5 (Assumed rough, irregular or planar)
v =0.067
H = Depth of overburden = <200m
f = 1+(H-320)/800 = 1 (H<320m)
f’ = Squeezing factor = 1 if H<350Q1/3
f’ = Squeezing factor as per table 1 if H>350Q1/3
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 Calculation of Wall Support Pressure

The ultimate wall support pressure has been calculated as per the equation given below:
0.2 1 / 3
Static: Pwu  .Qwu .f .f '
Jr
Seismic: Pw = Pwu + (αh) * Pwu Where,
Pwu = Ultimate wall pressure in MPa
Qw =Ultimate wall rock mass quality = 5Q (Q>10), 2.5Q (Q<10), Q (Q<0.1)
Jr = Joint roughness number = 1.5 (Assumed rough, irregular or planar)
h = 0.10,

NOTE - Although the bottom support pressure

is negligible in non-squeezing ground
conditions, invert support may be used when
the estimated wall support pressure requires
the use of wall support in exceptionally poor
rock conditions and squeezing ground
conditions.

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 Short-term Support Pressures

Calculation of Short-term Roof Support Pressure

The Short term roof support pressure has been calculated as per the equation given below:
Short-term Qrus = 5Qru

0 .2 1 / 3
Prus  .Qrus .f .f '
Static : Jr

Where,
Prus = Short-term roof pressure in MPa
Qrus =Short-term roof rock mass quality
Jr = Joint roughness number = 1.5 (Assumed rough, irregular or planar)
v =0.067
H = Depth of overburden = <200m
f = 1+(H-320)/800 = 1 (H<320m)

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Calculation of Short-term Wall Support Pressure

The Short term roof support pressure has been calculated as per the equation given below:
Short-term Qwus = 5Qwu

0 .2 1 / 3
Static : Pwus  .Qwus .f .f '
Jr
Where,
Prus = Short-term wall pressure in MPa
Qrus =Short-term wall rock mass quality
Jr = Joint roughness number = 1.5 (Assumed rough, irregular or planar)
h =0.10
H = Depth of overburden <200m
f = 1+(H-320)/800 = 1 (H<320m)

Note : However, the observed short-term wall support pressure is not significant in non-squeezing rock
conditions. It is; therefore, recommended that these may be neglected in the case of tunnels in rock masses of good
quality (Q>10 ).

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 Squeezing Ground ( H > 350 Q1/3 )
• Tunnel closures more than 6 percent of tunnel span should not be allowed otherwise support pressures
are likely to build up rapidly due to loosening of rock mass: In such cases, additional rock anchors should
be installed immediately to arrest the tunnel closure within limiting value. Otherwise, the ratio of ultimate
to short-term support pressure may rise to 2 to 3.

• Steel ribs with struts may not absorb more than 2 percent tunnel closure.

• Tunnels in highly squeezing ground should be less than 6 m in span to ensure better rate of tunnelling
with less construction problems. Tunnel instrumentation is recommended.

• In case of very good and hard rocks, rock burst may occur in place of squeezing when overstressed ( H >
350 Q 1/3m ).

• In case of parallel tunnels, the wall support pressure shall be much higher than roof support pressure if
clear spacing between tunnels is less than sum of the span of openings.

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Determination of Ultimate Roof and Wall Pressures

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Values of Excavation Support Ratio ( ESR )

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