Rocks Mechanics

Code:

EC5222

Acronym:

MECR

Instance: 2006/2007 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	http://paginas.fe.up.pt/~menezes/aulas/mr/mecanica_das_rochas.htm
Responsible unit:	Geotechnics Division
Course/CS Responsible:	Civil Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
LEC	9	Plano de estudos de transição para 2006/07	5	6	6	-
MIEC	11	Plano de estudos de transição para 2006/07	5	-	6	-

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Knowledge about the typical behavior of rock masses. Presentation and discussion of civil engineering solutions related to geotechnical works in rock masses, likely slopes and foundations of geotechnical structures in rock mass formations. Presentation of the methodologies for safety analysis and design. In situ state of stress evaluation. Study of seepage through fractured rock masses and the influence of the in situ state of stress. Issues related to the variability of the geomechanical parameters and geotechnical risk. Rock slopes. Rock mass foundations.

Program

Introduction. Physics of the rocks. Mechanical behavior of the rocks. Testing mechanical rock properties. Deformability and strength criteria. Anisotropy of rocks and rock masses. Structural description of the rock masses. Mechanical behavior of rock masses. Description and characterization of rock masses.
Discontinuities. Geometrical characterization. Roughness and aperture. Discontinuities sets. Shear strength of planar and roughness discontinuities. Barton’s law. Laboratory and in situ tests.
Empirical rock mass classification systems. System RMR. System Q and subsystem QTBM. System GSI. System MR. Application of empirical systems to practical situations.
In situ stress characterization. Total stress relief techniques. Partial stress relief techniques. Hydro-fracturing techniques. Other techniques.
Water seepage through fractured rock masses. Practical problems involving seepage. Study of the seepage. In situ hydraulic characterization. Modeling of the phenomena. Numerical modeling. Hydraulic behavior of concrete dam foundations. Hydromechanical characterization of rock masses. Hydromechanical idealizations.
State of stress and of deformation. Numerical modeling. Conceptual behavior models. Hoek-Brown strength criterion. Importance of monitoring.
Variability of the geotechnical parameters. Safety factor and variability of the rock mass parameters.
Rock slopes. Types of landslides and its modeling. Safety and variability. Monte Carlo techniques and Harr crossed simulation. Stability and stabilization. Construction solutions.
Rock foundations. Design of rock foundations and in weathered rock masses. Stabilization techniques. Efficiency level expected.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Observations

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Estimated working time out of classes: 4 hours