Syllabus - ROCK MECHANICS (MI304)

Mining Engineering

ROCK MECHANICS (MI304)

III-Semester

Status of Rock Mechanics

Role and status of rock mechanics in mining and civil engineering.

Stress and Strains

Stresses in two and three dimensions. Stress tensors. Principal stresses. Stress invariants. Displacements and strains. Mohr’s circle. Stress-strain relationships. Effect of temperature and pressure on stress and strain relationships. Equilibrium and compatibility equations.

Rockmass Classification Systems

Q-system, RMR, Modified RMR and their applications.

Physico-Mechanical Properties of Rocks

Specific gravity, hardness, porosity, moisture content, permeability, thermal conductivity. Compressive, tensile and shear strengths. Modulus of elasticity. Poisson’s ratio and triaxial strength. Swell index, slake durability, point load index, Protodyakonov index. Determination of in-situ strength. Determination of In-situ Stresses Methods of measurement – hydrofracturing and stress-relief.

Rheological Models and Time Dependent Properties of Rocks

Theories of Rock Failure Griffith, Mohr-Coulomb, Hoek and Brown. Types of rock fractures. Post-failure Behaviour.

Practicals

Reference Books

  • Obert, L. and Duvall, W.I., Rock Mechanics and Design of Structure in Rock John Wiley and Sons Inc., New York, 1967.

  • Vutukuri, V.S., and Lama, R.D., Handbook on Mechanical Properties of Rocks, Vol. I, II, III and IV, Transtech Publication, Berlin, 1974/78.

  • Peng, S.S., Ground Control, Wiley Interscience, New York, 1987.

  • Brady, B.H.G. and Brown, S.T., Rock Mechanics, Wiley Interscience, 1985.

  • Hoek, E., and Brown, S.T., Underground Excavations in Rocks, Institute of Mining Metallurgy, London, 1980.