Introduction to Rock Mechanics

ENGR. CHRISTIAN ED R. UYTICO, EM

What is Rock Mechanics?
Is the theoretical and applied science of the mechanical
behavior of rock; It is that branch of mechanics concerned with
the response of rock to the force fields of its physical
environment;
-Committee on Rock Mechanics of the Geological Society of America
What is Rock Mechanics?
It deals with the properties of rock and the special methodology
required for design of rock-related components of engineering
schemes.
-Introduction to Rock Mechanics, R.E. Goodman
Common Applications of Rock Mechanics
• Surface structures • Dry Underground Excavations
• Tall buildings, surface power houses, • Caving mines, stable mines
housing tracts
• Underground chambers
• Dams
• Tunnels, subways
• Transportation Routes • Energy Development
• Highways, railways
• Petroleum
• Canals, pipelines
• Geothermal
• Other surface excavation purposes • Nuclear power plants, nuclear waste
disposal
• Quarries and mine open pits
• Spillways
Common Applications of Rock Mechanics

Guoliang Tunnel Road, China

Common Applications of Rock Mechanics

Million Dollar Highway, Colorado

Common Applications of Rock Mechanics

Metolong Dam
Common Applications of Rock Mechanics

Road Tunnels
Common Applications of Rock Mechanics

Moscow Subway
Common Applications of Rock Mechanics

Didipio Underground Mine

Common Applications of Rock Mechanics

Dinkidi Pit, Didipio

Rock Mechanics Problems
• How will rock react when put to man’s use?
• What is the bearing capacity of a rock on its surface and at various depths to carry various
loads?
• What is the shear strength of rock?
• How will rock perform under dynamic loads?
• What is the effect of earthquakes on a rock-foundation system?
• What is the modulus of elasticity of rocks?
• What is the Poisson’s ratio of rocks?
• What are the effects of rock defects (jointing, bedding planes, schistosity, fissures, cavities,
and other discontinuities) on its strength properties?
Rock Mechanics Problems
• Which laboratory test method of rocks most nearly provides the actual in-situ
properties of a foundation-supporting rock en masse?
• How to account for joints and faults in design in rock?
• How to cope with time-dependent deformations (creep) in rock?
• What are the laws of plastic flow of rocks?
• What is the effect of anisotropy of rock in stress distribution in rock?
• How to correlate the results of rock strength tests made in situ with those made in the
laboratory on prepared rock specimens?
Rock Mechanics Problems
Problems always involve…

A study of the directions and properties of the joints and discontinuities

A study of the properties and fabric of the rocks between them

Rock Mechanics Objectives
• To perform engineering rock surveys;
• To develop rational rock sampling, identification and classification methods;
• To develop suitable rock testing devices and standard testing methods for compressive strength and
shear strength of rock materials;
• To collect and classify information on rocks and their physical properties in the light of fundamental
knowledge of rock mechanics, foundation engineering and hydraulic structures engineering;
• On the basis of test results, to study the physical, mechanical (static and dynamic), elastic, inelastic,
plastic and rheological properties of rocks, and their mode of failure under static and dynamic loading;
• To study rock performance under thermal conditions and water regimen;
• To deal with statics and dynamics of structures in rock;
• To develop methods of in-situ measurement of static and dynamic deformation properties of rock and
residual stresses in rock under various environmental conditions of weathering, leaching, seismics, and
tectonics;
Rock Mechanics Objectives
• To perform research on the mechanisms of failure of rocks;
• To organize research on rock reinforcement and for in-situ stress measurement;
• To replace by scientific methods the empirical ones of design used in rock engineering in the
past, thus contributing to the advancement of rock mechanics discipline;
• To stimulate and disseminate knowledge of rock and rock mechanics;
• To apply the knowledge of rock mechanics for the solution of practical engineering
problems;
• To study performance of natural intact rock (en masse) under load and environmental
conditions; and
• To deal with statics of structures in rock; stability of rocks is of utmost importance from the
viewpoint of both safety and economy.
Nature of Rocks
Nature of Rocks
• A common assumption when dealing with the mechanical behavior of any solids is that
they are:
• Homogenous
• Continuous
• Isotropic
Nature of Rocks
• However, rocks are much more complex solids than this and their properties vary
according to scale
• Discontinuous (micro-discontinuities/fissures & macro-discontinuities)
• Anisotropic, its properties vary with directions
• Heterogeneous, its properties vary from point to point

• Microfissures
• Small planar cracks common in hard rocks that have undergone internal deformation
• Occur as intracrystalline and crystal boundary cracks

• Macrodiscontinuities
• Joints, bedding plane partings, minor faults
Nature of Rocks - Discontinuous
• Microfissures
• Small planar cracks common in hard rocks that have undergone internal deformation
• Occur as intracrystalline and crystal boundary cracks

• Macrodiscontinuities
• Joints, bedding plane partings, minor faults
Nature of Rocks - Anisotropy
• A property of being directionally dependent, which makes different properties to the
rock in different directions.
• Common in many rocks even without discontinuous structure because of preferred
orientations of mineral grains or directional stress history.
Rock as an Engineering Material
• One of the most important, and frequently neglected, aspects of rock mechanics and
rock engineering is that we are utilizing an existing material which is usually highly
variable.

Intact Rock Layered Rockmass Highly fractured rockmass

Rock as an Engineering Material
• Rock as engineering material will be used either:
• As a building material so the structure will be made of rock
• Or a structure will be built on the rock
• Or a structure will be built in the rock

• In the context of the mechanics, we must establish:

• The properties of the material
• The pre-existing stress state in the ground, and
• How these factors relate to the engineering objective
Influence of Geological Factors
• Five primary geological factors can be viewed as influences on a rockmass:
• The intact rock which is itself divided by discontinuities to from the rock structure
• We then find the rock is already subjected to an in-situ stress
• Superimposed on this fundamental mechanics circumstance are the influence of pore
fluid/waterflow and time

• In all these subjects, the geologic history has played its part altering the rock mass and
the forces acting on it
Influence of Geological Factors – Intact Rock
• The most useful description of the mechanical behavior of intact rock is the complete
stress-strain curve in uniaxial compression
• From this curve, several information can be derived:
• The deformation modulus,
• The peak compressive strength, and
• The post-peak behavior
Influence of Geological Factors – Discontinuities
• The results in terms of rock fracturing is to produce geometrical structure (often very
complex) of fractures forming rock blocks.
• The overall configuration of the discontinuities in the rock mass is termed rock
structure. It is very helpful to understand the way in which discontinuities form. There
are three ways in which a fracture can be formed

http://classes.geology.illinois.edu/07fallclass/geo411/Brittle/brittle.html
Influence of Geological Factors – Discontinuities
• In practice, failure is most often associated with discontinuities which act as pre-
existing planes of weakness.
• Some examples of the way in which the discontinuity genesis leads to differing
mechanical properties are:
• Open joints for free flow of water
• Stylolitic joints/discontinuities with high shear resistance
• Slickensided fault surface with low shear resistance
Influence of Geological Factors – Pre-existing in-situ
stress
• When considering the loading conditions imposed on the rock structures, it must be
recognized that an in-situ pre-existing state of stress already exists in the rock mass.
• In cases of open pit or underground openings, pre-existing stresses are already applied
but will be redistributed when disturbed.
Influence of Geological Factors – Pore fluids/water
flow
• Many rocks in their intact state have very low permeability and main water flow is
usually via pre-existing fractures.
• Thus, the study of flow in rock masses will generally be a function of the discontinuities,
their connectivity, and the hydrogeological environment.
Influence of Geological Factors – Time
• Rock as an engineering material may be millions of years old.
• Two types of rock behavior with respect to time:
• Geological processes in which equilibrium will have been established with current geological
activity superimposed
• The rapid engineering processes
~End of Lecture~
QUESTIONS?