1 &'

ROCK MASS CLASSIFICATION (by CRIEPI)

Class Description
A The rock mass is very fresh, and the rock forming minerals and grains
undergo
undergo neither weathering
weathering nor alteration.
alteration. Joints
Joints are extremely tight and
their surfaces have no visible sign of weathering.
Sound by hammer
hammer blow is clearclear..
 The rock mass is solid. There is no opening joint and crack (even of 1
mm. The rock forming minerals and grains undergo a little weathering
and! or alteration in partly.
partly.
Sound by hammer
hammer blow is clearclear..
C! The rock mass is relatively solid rock. The rock forming minerals and
grains undergo weathering except for "uart#. The rock is contaminated by
limonite,
limonite, etc. The cohesion
cohesion of joints
joints and cracks is slightly
slightly decreased and
rock
rock bloc
blocks
ks are separ
separat
ated
ed by firmfirm hamm
hammerer blow
blow alon
along
g join
joints
ts.. $lay
$lay
minerals remain on the separation surface.
Sound by hammer
hammer blows a little dim.
CM The rock mass is somewhat soft. The rock forming minerals and grains
are somewhat softened by weathering and! or alteration except for "uart#.
The cohesion of joints and cracks is somewhat decreased and rock blocks
are separated by ordinary hammer blow along joints. $lay materials on
the separation surface.
Sound by hammer
hammer blows is somewhat
somewhat dim.
CL The rock mass is soft. %eathering and! or alteration softens the rock
form
formin
ingg mine
mineral
ralss and
and grain
grains.
s. The
The cohe
cohesio
sion
n of join
joints
ts and
and crack
crackss is
decreas
decreaseded and rock
rock blocks
blocks are separat
separated
ed by soft
soft hammer
hammer blow
blow along
along
joints.
Sound by hammer
hammer blows is dim. dim.
D The rock mass is remarkably soft. %eathering and! or alteration softens
the rock forming minerals and grains. The cohesion of joints and cracks is
almost
almost absent
absent.. The rock massmass collap
collapses
ses by light
light hammer
hammer blow
blow. $lay
$lay
materials remain on the separation surface.
Sound by hammer
hammer blows is remarkably
remarkably dim.
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ROCK CLASSIFICATION (OSER"ATION OF ORIN# CORE SAMPLE)

Core s&ape an% eat&erin* +

Roc$ class !ar%ness
'oint interal alteration
 ) 1 a )1a
) +, ' a, b )+a, )+b, )'a, )'b
$*  1, + b, c 1b, 1c, +b, +c
 ' a, b 'a, 'b
 ' $ 'c
$  - a, b, c -a, -b, -c
$ +, ' c $+a,$'a
 / , c /b, /c
$ ' d $'d
$
$ - c, d $-d
$ / c $/c
$ / d $/d
0 0,  2 2 022, 22
2 2 2 22e

!ARDNESS

). *ard rock
. edium hard rock
$. %eak rock
0. 3ery weak rock
. 0ecomposed rock

CORE S!APE AND 'OINT INTER"AL

1. $olumnar4 Joint interval is around '5cm or more.

+. $olumnar4 Joint interval is approximately 1/ to '5cm.
'. ainly columnar4 Joint interval is approximately / to 1/cm.
-. 6hort columnar and fragments4 Joint interval is approximately less than /cm.
/. ainly fragments4 *eavily jointed.
7. ainly sandy 8 clayey materials.
9. ainly clayey materials.
:. ;o core.

EAT!ERIN# AND ALTERATION

a. <resh ! no alteration
b. 6lightly weathered !weak alteration
c. oderately weathered ! moderate alteration
d. *ighly weathered ! high alteration
e. $ompletely weathered ! very high alteration
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ROCK CLASSIFICATION AND ROCK PARAMETERS

,ni-a.ial S&ear stren*t&

Static /o%2l2s Mo%2l2s o3 "elocity o3
Roc$ Roc$ co/press
o3 elasticity %e3or/ation Internal elastic 4ae
Class #ra%e stren*t& Co&esion
($*0c/1) ($*0c/1) an*le ($*0sec)
($*0c/1) ($*0c/1)
(%e*)
),   = :55 = :5,555 = /5,555 = -5 // & 7/ '.9 or moor
$* $ :55 8 -55 :5,555&-5,555 /5,555&+5,555 -5 & +5 -5 & // '.9&'.5
$ 0 -55 8 +55 -5,555&1/,555 +5,555&/,555 +5 & 15 '5 & -/ '.5&1./
$, 0 , < +55 or less 1/555 or less /,555 or less 15 or less 1/ & ': 1./ or less
(0r.>.>ikuchi, r.6aito and r. >.>usunoki, ?$@0, ay, 1A:+

)ccording to >ikuchi rocks are classified into tree groups based on these hardness as
below.

Roc$ *ro2p ,ni-a.ial co/pressie stren*t& ($*30c/ 1)

*ard rock :55 or more

edium hard rock +55 8 :55
6oft rock +55 or less

DESCRIPTION FOR EAC! ROCK #RADE (MEDI,M !ARD ROCK)

 4 <resh in lithologic character. The constituent grains are "uite free secondary
weathering and alteration. <issures of joint, etc. are little distributed. The rocks
as a whole are almost solid and hard. ?n this case, those close to soft rocks, which
have the above properties, may not belong to this class. ut to Brade $
$ 4 <resh in lithologic character. The constituent grains are free from secondarily
weathering and alteration Joints are sparsely distributed, assuring close adhesion.
The rocks as a whole are al most solid and hard. ?n this case, those close to herd
rocks may belong to Brade .
0 4 <eldspars and colored minerals existing secondarily as constituent grains are
mostly a little weathered and altered. The weathering secondarily is not so
intensive, but since the rocks are medium hard, they give. ) little soft impression
in absolute hardness. Joints are distributed considerably, and most of them are a
little open. The joints are weathered and altered, being discolored and often hold
thin layers and weathered materials. Cocks of this class have hair&like fissures, to
some extent. Therefore, when hit by a rock hammer, they often collapse, being
separated at the hair&like fissures.
 4 $onstituent grains are weathered and altered, and the degree of consolidation is
very low. 6ince the rocks are medium hard, they give considerably distributed.
They are open, and hold weathered along hair&like fissures, and when hit lightly
by a rock hammer they collapse easily.
< 4 $onstituent grains are considerably weathered and altered, and the decree of
consolidation is considerably low they are often sandy and clayey with rock of this
classD the distribution of fissures is rather unclear.