Measurement of

orientations

1.Mariamawit w/gebrial
2.Mubeyin Readwan
3.Tewodros Bulo
4.Michael Terefe
5.Yosef Damena
Major Geological features

• Geologists take great pains to measure and record geological structures

because they are critically important to understand the geological history
of a region and discontinuities are the major focus on tunnel designs.
• Two basic types of discontinuities maybe distinguished.
1.integral discontinuities
2.mechanical discontinuities
• We group mechanical discontinuities into the following categories:
1. Bedding plane
2. Fractures (joints)
3.Faults
4.folds
• The primary surface in a sedimentary rock, separating beds with different
composition, texture and color.
• Fractures (joints)-.
• Faults -
folds
Characterization of discontinuities
 
Quantitative parameters to describe discontinuities in rock mass are as
follows
• Orientation
• Spacing
• Persistence
• Roughness
 Measuring of orientations

• Our concern is mainly on orientation of discontinuities . Discontinuities are

usually planar and their orientation can be defined by the following
-strike and dip angle
• The dip of a rock is the angle between horizontal and the slope of the
rock.
• The strike of a rock is the orientation of a horizontal line drawn
perpendicular to the dip.
Effects of Joint Orientation in Tunneling

• A study was done by Selvasekaran et. al. on the effects of joint orientation
with respect to the direction of tunnel axis.
• Different Dip and strike scenarios are studied.
• The Preferable joint orientations according to the authors is:

• Another study done by Bieniawski (1984) has classified importance of the

orientation of joints in relation to an underground openings also shows
similar results with the authors mentioned above.
• The influence from orientation is similar also for weakness zones.
Thank you