Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Indices related to the mechanical properties of jointed rock

Conference · · Proc. Symp. Rock Mech.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6927715
The fundamental problem in rock mechanics is accounting for the discontinuous and anisotropic nature of the jointed rock mass. It is this problem that makes rock mechanics distinct from the mechanics of steel, glass or concrete. Existing mathematical models explain much of the behavior of rock cores in the laboratory, but in civil engineering at least, the rocks that matter are the ones that are already broken. The basically descriptive methods now used in engineering geology do not lend themselves easily to mathematical analysis. The subject matter is divided into the following categories: (1) existing indices of rock properties (fracture frequency, core recovery, rock quality designation, field seismic velocity, extent of joints, and indices of weathering and alteration); (2) joint breakage; (3) joint dispersions; and (4) sampling of joint data. Both of the proposed indices involve use of the Lambert equal-area projection for analysis of joint data. (21 refs.)
Research Organization:
Colorado School of Mines
OSTI ID:
6927715
Report Number(s):
CONF-670470-
Conference Information:
Journal Name: Proc. Symp. Rock Mech.; (United States) Journal Volume: 9
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English