ROCK MECHANICS AND ENGINEERING (ENCE 373)

1 Rock Engineering and Its Development (4 hours)

1.1 Introduction and basic concepts

1.2 Historical perspective and uses in civil engineering

1.3 Rock engineering problems and application area

1.4 Rock engineering principles

1.5 Rock engineering and Nepal Himalayas scenario

2 Rock Properties (9 hours)

2.1 Rock coring and logging

2.2 Physical properties

2.3 Mechanical properties

2.4 Failure in rocks: Hydrostatic compression; Deviatoric compression and effect of confining pressure

2.5 Failure modes in rocks; Complete stress-strain curve

2.6 Failure criteria for rocks; Mohr-coulomb criterion; Effect of water pressure and principle stress ratio; Hoek and Brown criterion; Empirical Rock failure criterion; Griffith failure criterion; Hyperbolic model and Bieniawski-Yudhbir criterion

2.7 Weakness joint and faults

3 Stresses around Underground Openings (8 hours)

3.1 Origin of rock stress

3.2 Stresses surrounding underground opening, Kirsch equation

3.3 Circular hole in an elasto-plastic infinite medium under hydrostatic loading

3.4 Plastic behavior around tunnels; Zone of influence

3.5 Excavation shape and boundary stress

3.6 Stress distribution due to development of fractured zone

3.7 Tunneling in stratified rock and blocky rock

3.8 Rock fractures and scale/size effect

3.9 Numerical modelling for stresses around underground opening

3.10 Effect of width to height (W/H) ratio

3.11 Tunneling in weak rock

3.12 Effects of planes of weakness on stress distribution

4 Tests on Rock and Rock Masses (5 hours)

4.1 Tests on rock: Uniaxial, tensile, point load, triaxial and direct shear test

4.2 In-situ direct shear test

4.3 In-situ tests for deformability (Plate, uniaxial and pressure meter test)

4.4 In-situ stress and their determination (Hydraulic, fracture and stress relief)

4.5 Geophysical investigation

5 Groundwater in Rock Masses (4 hours)

5.1 Permeability and hydraulic conductivity

5.2 Estimation of water leakages

5.3 Groundwater effects on slope stability

5.4 Groundwater pressure models

5.5 Problems caused by water

6 Geological Investigation for Underground Structures (4 hours)

6.1 Scope and importance

6.2 Investigation stages

6.3 Pre-construction phase investigations

6.4 Construction phase investigations

6.5 The engineering geological report

7 Rock Mass Classification and Improvement of Rock Mass (6 hours)

7.1 The RMR system, Q-system, GSI system and RMi system of classifications

7.2 Correlation between RMR, Q and GSI values

7.3 Rock reinforcement, rock bolting-suspension, beam building and keying theory

7.4 Underground supports

7.5 Evaluation of support requirements

8 Rock Engineering and its Applications in Slope Stability (5 hours)

8.1 Importance of rock slope stability in Nepal (Himalayan geology, fragile mountains, major incidents in the Himalayas, infrastructure needs)

8.2 Roadside slopes stability

8.3 Slopes around dams, tunnels, and reservoirs

8.4 Stone quarry and mining-related slope failures

8.5 Lessons from recent earthquakes

8.6 Engineering best practice for Nepalese terrain

1. Analysis of stress distribution around underground openings for structural stability assessment

2. Quantitative estimation of water leakage in rock masses using permeability and flow models

3. Graphical analysis of geological data using joint rosettes, rose diagrams, and stereonets

4. Interpretation of joint patterns and failure modes for slope and tunnel design

5. Stress analysis around underground openings using Kirsch equations and elasto-plastic models

6. Design of rock support systems using RMR, Q-system, and GSI-based empirical methods

7. Estimation and design of preventive measures for unstable slopes including drainage and reinforcement

8. Graphical analysis of geological data using joint rosettes, rose diagrams, and stereonets. Interpret the spatial orientation of discontinuities

9. Stress analysis around underground openings using Kirsch equations and elasto-plastic models. Assess stress concentration zones

10. Design of rock support systems using RMR, Q-system, and GSI-based empirical methods. Recommend suitable reinforcement strategies

11. Stability analysis and design of rock slopes using limit equilibrium and numerical modeling approaches; Calculation of factors of safety for various failure modes

12. Estimation and design of preventive measures for unstable slopes, including drainage systems and rock reinforcement; Optimization based on slope geometry and rock mass properties

1. Preparation and submission of a detailed report on a nearby rock engineering project by examining the practical applications of rock engineering principles and identifying the key challenges encountered during the project

2. Analysis of rock properties using available laboratory data (Uniaxial compressive strength, tensile strength, point load test); Plotting of stress strain curves and identification of different failure types

3. Assessment of a rock slope to analyze its stability and design appropriate mitigation measures for slope stabilization

1. Goodman, R. E. (1989). Introduction to rock mechanics (Latest Edition). John Wiley & Sons.

2. Ramamurthy, T. (2014). Engineering in rocks for slopes, foundations and tunnels. Prentice Hall India.

3. Jaeger, J.C., Cook, N.G.W., Zimmerman, R.W. (2007). Fundamentals of rock mechanics. Wiley-Blackwell.

4. Nilsen, B., Thidemann, A. (1993). Rock engineering. Norwegian Institute of Technology, Division of Hydraulic Engineering.

5. Nilsen, B., Palmström, A. (2000). Engineering geology and rock engineering (Handbook No. 2). Norwegian Group for Rock Mechanics (NBG).

6. Dhakal, B. B., Shrestha, K. P. (2023). A textbook of rock slope engineering. Heritage Publishers & Distributors