MKAJ 1073

ENGINEERING CHAPTER 8
ROCK ROCK STABILISATION
METHODS
MECHANICS
DR MUHAMMAD IRFAN BIN SHAHRIN
ROCK STABILISATION METHODS

Mode of instability in rock & requirement for stabilisation

methods

Principles of stabilisation method in rock

Classification & mechanism of methods

Considerations in selecting suitable method

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ROCK STABILISATION METHODS
Excavation in rock creates ‘new free faces’ for discontinuous rock mass to
move (tunnel closure & slope face movement), i.e. excavation induces
disturbance in rock.

Rocks are discontinuous & display various types of weakness planes &
frequently weathered. Some methods of excavation (e.g. blasting) may
weaken the rock further.

Volume of disturbed rock around an excavation is called YIELD ZONE

(disturbance due to construction-induced stresses)

Proper design & construction method for the excavation help to reduce
this disturbance. Less disturbed rock means less cost on stabilisation.
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 Design & construction of
tunnel must be carefully
YIELD ZONE considered so that
(ZON ALAH)
disturbance induced into
the surrounding rock mass
CIRCULAR
TUNNEL
can be reduced.

Thinner yield zone means

SURROUNDING less volume of ‘disturbed
ROCK MASS
rock’ to be stabilised – less
stabilisation cost!
 YIELD ZONE
(ZON ALAH) Similar approach in
excavating slope face,
CUT SLOPE design & construction
must be aimed at
minimising volume of
SURROUNDING
ROCK MASS
disturbed rock - yield
zone
 Types of discontinuities in rock mass
Geometrical orientation of weakness planes in rock can indicate modes of failure. The
size/type of the discontinuity can indicates size of the unstable block.

In terms of size:

Faults: often the largest, > 1000s km in length and extends several 10 km in the earth’s crust.
Occur in all rock types

Bedding planes: may extend more than 100s km and thickness of few m. Occur in
sedimentary & metamorphic rocks.

Joints: is the smallest, with length of few m. Occur in all rock types
Rock masses always exhibit discontinuities, more than
one types & at different orientations
Types of Rock types
structural
Igneous Sedimentary Metamorphic
discontinuity
LARGE-SCALE:
Fault plane Ö Ö Ö

Joint plane Ö Ö Ö

Bedding plane - Ö Ö

SMALL-SCALE:
Lamination - Ö -
Foliation - - Ö

Microfractures Ö Ö Ö

Voids - Ö Ö
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Rock close to the fault
may store residual
strain in the form of
shear stress. Fault is
large fracture or
discontinuity in rock.
 Faults occur in all rock types
Faults can also occur at depth in massive rock
body

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Fault is much
bigger than joints.
In granite both
faults & joints are
common
weakness planes

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Joints are fracture planes, often
incline & intersect (more than 2 joint
sets). In strong rock like granite, 3
sets of major joint is common, they
are intersecting & are almost
perpendicular to each other.

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Folded strata occurs in tectonically disturbed stratified rocks (e.g.
sandstone & shale).

Folded strata creates inclined bedding planes which can become unstable
upon excavation.

Detailed geological investigation is essential of project area where in situ

rocks have been geologically disturbed by tectonic stresses.

Faults & joints may also occur in folded rocks

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 Joints & bedding planes in
Inclined bedding planes in clastic
sedimentary rock. Joints can be
sedimentary rocks (interbedding of
parallel or perpendicular to the
shale & sandstone)
bedding planes
EXCAVATION IN ROCK
EXCAVATION IN ROCK

Folded strata can also

occur in rock at depth
 lamination is minerals
arrangement due to
sedimentation

Lamination in sandstone Lamination in shale

(clastic sedimentary rock) (clastic sedimentary rock)
 Geological mapping & joint survey

Information like types of discontinuities and their geometrical data (dip &
dip direction) are essential to determine modes of instability & direction of
sliding as well as size of unstable blocks.

In major projects like major slope cut, HEP dam & tunnel this info must be
collected during preliminary investigation stage.

For underground excavation this info is assessed by directional drilling &

geophysical methods, or by assessing part of the exposed rock body where
the excavation is to be undertaken

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 Geological mapping & joint survey

Dip angle & dip direction of weakness planes in rock have significant effect
on the stability of excavation face created in the rock – as in kinematic
analysis in stereo-net projection.

2 main issues must be addressed before excavation face is created in rock:

Dip direction of weakness planes with respect to dip direction of excavation

face – are they parallel or in opposite direction

Dip angle of the weakness planes compared to dip angle of excavation face
– is it larger or smaller
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Take an fresh, strong & continuous (solid) rock. Can a near vertical
slope be excavated in this rock mass, any problem on stability?

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. . . . . in terms of properties of the ‘ideal’ rock, a
vertical stable slope is possible

e.g. for granite (UCS = 120 MPa, = 26 kN/m3)

slope of few km high is possible !!!
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 Rock mass in the field

• In situ rock masses are subjected to weathering (Zone 1 ® Zone 2 … 6)

thus, UCS & g are lower

• In situ rock masses are not solid & continuous, weakness planes (joints,
bedding planes & faults) are always present.

• Disturbing forces are always there, natural or man-made

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Rock mass in situ is
discontinuous & may be
weathered (Grade II - V).
Excavation of slope induces
further disturbance into the
‘weak rock’
A slope face cut in fresh (zone 1) and very strong
rock mass but, with horizontal bedding planes
(discontinuity or weakness plane) . . . . .

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Will the stability of the cut slope be affected by
the horizontal bedding planes?

Is there any immediate effect due to rock mass

properties & bedding planes?
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A slope face cut in fresh & strong rock mass with
horizontal bedding planes and inclined fracture
planes (e.g. joints)

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 SLOPE B

SLOPE A

For slope (A), is the stability being affected by the

horizontal bedding & inclined joint planes?

Slope (B) on the other side of the hill?

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 SLOPE B
SLOPE A

The rock properties & the horizontal bedding planes have no immediate
effect on the stability of both slopes A and B. The orientation of the inclined
joints can affect SLOPE B.

Similar effect of joint orientation & discontinuities on underground excavation

in rock (tunnel & cavern).
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Intact rock – material
properties of intact small rock
sample

Rock mass – mass properties of

discontinuous massive rock
body (in the field)
Joints display certain pattern of
orientation, grouped into set (1,
2 … nth sets).

Joint sets reduces strength of

rock mass. The more the sets
the weaker is the rock
Direction of tunneling with
respect to orientation of
weakness planes
Direction of tunneling with
respect to joint & bedding
orientation
Discontinuities & mode of failure in rock mass

Mode of failure in rock is dictated by:

- types of discontinuity
- spacing of discontinuities
- orientation of discontinuities
- number of set of discontinuities

In general, specific mode of failure requires specific method of

stabilisation. However, a given rock face may display more than one
modes of failure

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Mode of instability in rock and methods of
stabilisation

Different mode of instability requires different stabilisation

methods, hence it is important to understand the following
principles:

What is the prevailing instability or mode of failure?

How specific stabilisation method works (mechanisms) to produce

effective stability?

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Modes of failure
in rock (slope or
tunnel) can be
any one or
combination of
these 4 modes

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 MODES OF FAILURE
IN ROCK SLOPE

Plane failure:

Associated with sliding of

unstable block along a
single distinctive inclined
weakness plane.

Weakness plane can be

bedding or fault (joints
create smaller plane
failure).

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Inclined fault leads to plane failure & intersecting faults
leads to wedge failure

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Single inclined joint (and fault) leads to plane failure

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Plane failure induced by inclined bedding planes

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Parallel & inclined bedding planes lead to plane failure

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Parallel & inclined bedding planes lead to plane failure

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Parallel & inclined bedding planes lead to plane failure

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 MODES OF FAILURE
IN ROCK SLOPE

Wedge failure:

Associated with sliding of

unstable block (wedge)
along two intersecting &
inclined weakness
planes.

Plane can be joints or

faults (not bedding
plane).

Common in rock
exhibiting more than 2
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Two JOINT sets or more (and faults) which are
intersecting lead to wedge failure

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Closely spaced & intersecting joints (> two sets)
lead to wedge failure & rock fall

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 MODES OF FAILURE
IN ROCK SLOPE

Toppling failure/rock fall:

Associated with toppling

of unstable small rock
blocks, not sliding along
weakness planes.

Common in rock mass

exhibiting more than 3
joint sets that are closely
spaced.

Weakness planes are

joints only
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Closely spaced & intersecting joints (more than
3 sets) can lead to rock fall

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Highly fractured & weathered rock leads to
rock fall + plane + wedge failure

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 MODES OF FAILURE
IN ROCK SLOPE

Flexural toppling:

Associated with bending

of unstable (slender) rock
blocks, not associated
with sliding along
weakness planes.

Common in rock
exhibiting more than 2
joint sets and folded
beddings that are almost
vertical in orientation.

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Near vertical joints and vertical bedding plane
(recumbent fold) lead to flexural toppling

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Near vertical joint sets lead to flexural toppling
– note there is no smooth sliding plane

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Single inclined joint (and fault) leads to plane
failure + flexural toppling

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Very often rock faces display more than one mode of
failure, e.g. wedge + rock fall or plane failure + rock fall etc.

Therefore, stabilisation will requires more than one

methods

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S. No. Rock mass quality RQD (%) RQD (from core logging)
1 Very poor 0 - 25 can indicate mode of
2 Poor 25 - 50 failure. RQD < 50% may
3 Fair 50 - 75
lead to rock falls & RQD >
90% may lead to plane
4 Good 75 - 90
failure
5 Excellent 90 - 100
 Disturbing force: mg sin q

Resisting force:
tjoint = sn tan f
q

If resisting force >> disturbing force, stabilisation may not

be required. However, long-term effect must also be
considered e.g. water reduces sn, f & t (it acts as lubricant
on joint surface)
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The rougher the joint surface, the
higher is the JRC & shear strength (t).

Since fb is constant, therefore variations

of shear strength in rough joint is mainly
due to JRC value for roughness
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Roughness & frictional strength of joint

Description of roughness Friction angle Note: Basic friction angle is

rock material dependent (a
Smooth Basic +20
constant for given rock
Defined ridges Basic +60
type). Increasing frictional
Small steps Basic +100
strength for rough joint is
Very rough Basic +140 due to increasing JRC
(degree of roughness)
Scale of roughness & its effect on
stability

Small scale roughness (mm in scale, e.g. asperity) is due to material texture, it
affects shear strength (frictional angle) of a weakness plane

Large scale roughness (m in scale, e.g. undulation), due to nature of joint surface,
affects direction of sliding.

Preliminary assessment like stereo-net projection only give indication on potential

failure & direction of sliding. No consideration on shear strength & other
properties of rock mass is being considered in this approach.

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THANK YOU

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