Rock Mass Classification
Background
• Rock mass strength classification is fraught
with difficulty.
– Anisotropic rock strength
– Varying porewater/groundwater conditions
– Influence of joint set orientations
– Joint spacing variation within rock mass
• Several classification systems have been
developed to help quantify rock mass
strength.
– We will utilize three this week.
Geomechanics Classification a.k.a.
Rock Mass Rating
• Developed by Bieniawski (1976, 1989)
– Originally developed for tunnels, later adapted for
slopes and foundations.
– Utilizes 6 parameters:
• Uniaxial compressive strength of intact rock material
• Rock Quality Designation (RQD)
• Spacing of discontinuities
• Condition of discontinuities
• Groundwater conditions
• Orientation of discontinuities
1) Intact Rock Strength
• Best: Actual Unconfined
Compressive Strength
(UCS) test results.
• Next Best: Point load
strength results.
• Next Best: Schmidt
Hammer UCS
estimation.
• Worst:
2) and 3) RQD and Discontinuity Spacing
• Best: Actual RQD value
from core.
• Just as good: If no core
generated RQD value is
available, it can be
estimated using:
RQD = 115 – 3.3 Jv
Jv = number of joints per m
• Not much worse: From
discontinuity spacing
4) Condition of Discontinuities
5) Groundwater Conditions
6) Orientation of Discontinuities
What does it all mean!
Rock Tunnelling Quality Index, Q
• Devised by Barton et al. (1974) based on
several underground excavation case
histories.
• Logarithmic scale, values vary from 0.001
to 1,000
Q continued…
• Uses six factors that make up three parameters:
Block Inter-block
shear Active
size Stress
strength
RQD J r J w
Q
J n J a SRF
RQD = Rock Quality Designation
Jn = Joint set number
Jr = Joint roughness number
Ja = Joint alteration number
Jw = Joint water reduction factor
SRF = Stress reduction factor
RQD and Jn
RQD
Jn
Jr
Jr
Ja
Ja
Jr
Ja
Jw
Jw
SRF
SRF
Jw
SRF
Correlation between RMR and Q
• Most popular:
RMR 9 ln Q 44
RMR 44
Qe 9
Geologic Strength Index (GSI)
• Introduced by Hoek in 1994.
– Much more qualitative than RMR or Q
– Values range from 0 - 100
– Serves as a number which when combined
with rock strength and other parameters can
provide insight into rock mass strength.
• Hoek-Brown Failure Criterion
GSI for
Homogeneous
Rock Masses
GSI for Heterogeneous Rock Masses
Clar Compass
