RMR SYSTEM OF ROCKMASS CLASSIFICATION

Bieniawski, (1973) proposed the RMR (Rock Mass Rating) system also known as
“Geomechanics classification” for jointed rock masses. The five basic parameters considered
for this classification are (i) strength of rock, (ii) RQD, (iii) spacing of joints/discontinuities (iv)
condition of joints and (v) ground water conditions.

A rating is allocated to each parameter and the overall rating for the rock mass is arrived at by
adding the rating for each parameter. This overall rating is adjusted for accounting the effect of
joints orientations by applying correction to estimate the final RMR value which is related to
five classes of rock mass as described below: -

RMR ROCK CLASS

100-81 Very good
80-61 Good
60-41 Fair
40-21 Poor
<21 Very poor
 GEOMECHANICS CLASSIFICATION OF JOINTED ROCK MASS
A. CLASSIFICATION PARAMETER AND THEIR RATINGS
Parameter Range of values
1 Strength Point load >10Mpa 4-10Mpa 2-4Mpa 1-2Mpa For this low range UCS
of intact strength index test is preferred
rock Uniaxial >250Mpa 100-250Mpa 50-100Mpa 25-50Mpa 5-25 1-5 <1
material compressive Mpa Mpa Mpa
strength
Rating 15 12 7 4 2 1 0
2 RQD 90%-100% 75%-90% 50%-75% 25%-50% <25%
Rating 20 17 13 8 5
3 Spacing of discontinuity >2m 0.6-2m 200-600mm 60-200mm <60mm
Rating 20 15 10 8 5
4 Condition of discontinuities Very rough Slightly rough surfaces Slightly rough surfaces Slickensided Soft gouge>5mm thick or
surfaces Separation<1mm Separation<1mm surfaces or Separation >5mm
Not continuous Slightly weathered walls Highly weathered walls Gouge<5mm thick Continuous
No separation or
Unweathered wall Separation 1-5 mm
rock continuous
Rating 30 25 20 10 0
5 Ground Inflow per None <10 10-25 25-125 >125
water 10m tunnel
length (l/m)
(Joint water 0 <0.1 0.1-0.2 0.2-0.5 >0.5
press)/(Major
principal σ )
General Completely dry Damp Wet Dripping Flowing
condition
Rating 15 10 7 4 0
B.RATING ADJUSTMENT FOR DISCONTINUITY ORIENTATIONS
Strike and dip orientation Very favourable Favourable Fair Unfavourable Very unfavourable
Rating Tunnel and mines 0 -2 -5 -10 -12
Foundations 0 -2 -7 -15 -25
Slopes 0 -5 -25 -50 -60
C. ROCK MASS CLASSES DETERMINED FROM TOTAL RATINGS
Rating 100-81 80-61 60-41 40-21 <21
Class number I II III IV V
Description Very good Good Fair Poor Very poor
D. MEANING OF ROCK CLASSES
Class number I II III IV V
Average stand-up time 20 yrs for 15m 1 yrs for 10m span 1 week for 5m span 10 hrs for 2.5m 30 min for 1m span
span span
Cohesion of rock mass(kPa) >400 300-400 200-300 100-200 <100
Friction angle of rock mass (deg) >45 35-45 25-35 15-25 <15
E. CLASSIFICATION OF DISCONTINUITY
Discontinuity length(Persistence) <1m 1-3m 3-10m 10-20m >20m
Rating 6 4 2 1 0
Separation(Aperture) None <0.1mm 0.1-1.0mm 1-5mm >5mm
Rating 6 5 4 1 0
Roughness Very rough Rough Slightly rough Smooth Slickensided
Rating 6 5 3 1 0

Infilling (gouge) None Hard filling <5mm Hard filling >5mm Soft filling <5mm Soft filling >5mm
Rating 6 4 2 2 0

Weathering Unweathered Slightly weathered Moderately weathered Highly weathered Decomposed

Rating 6 5 3 1 0
F. EFFECT OF DISCONTINUITY STRIKE AND DIP ORIENTATION IN TUNNELING
Strike perpendicular to tunnel axis Strike parallel to tunnel axis
Drive with dip-Dip45º-90º Drive with dip-Dip20º-45º Dip45º-90º Dip20º-45º
Very favourable Favourable Very unfavourable Fair
Drive against dip-Dip45º-90º Drive against dip-Dip20º-45º Dip-0º-20º- Irrespective of strike
Fair Unfavourable Fair
 GUIDE FOR EXCAVATION AND SUPPORT IN ROCK TUNNELS

Geomechanics classification guide for excavation and support in rock tunnels-shape horse shoe,
width 10m; vertical stress below 25MPa;
Construction-Drilling & Blasting
Rock mass Excavation Support
class Rockbolts Shotcrete Steel sets
(20mm dia.
fully bonded)
Very good rock Full face 3m Generally the support required except for occasional spot
I advance bolting .
RMR 81-100
Good Roock Full face 1.0-1.5m Locally bolts in 50mm in crown None
II advance. Complete crown, 3m long where required
RMR 61-80 support 20m from spaced 2.5m
face with occasional
mesh.
Fair rock Top heading and Systematic bolts 50-100mm in None
III bench, 1.5-3m 4m long, spaced crown, 300 mm
RMR 41-60 advance in 1.5-2m in in side walls.
heading. crown and walls
Commence support with mesh in
after each blast. crown.
Complete support
10m from face.
Poor rock Top heading and Systematic bolts 100-150mm in Light ribs spaced 1.5m
IV bench, 1-1.5m 4-5m long, crown, and where required
RMR 21-40 advance in spaced 1-1.5m 100mm in sides
heading. Install in crown and
support walls with wire
concurrently with mesh
excavation 10m
from face.
Very poor rock Multiple drifts. 0.5- Systematic bolts 1500-200mm in Medium to heavy ribs
V 1.5m advance in 5-6m long, crown, 150mm spaced 0.75m with steel
RMR<20 top heading. Install spaced 1-1.5m on sides and lagging and forepoling if
support in crown and 50mm on face. required. Close invert
concurrently with walls with
excavation. wiremesh . Bolt
Shotcrete as soon invert.
as possible after
blasting.
 GEOLOGICAL LOG OF DRIFT

L E F T IN V E R T

/50
23

0
0/

0/ 6
048
50
62
65 1

0/

04
5/

05
1

05

22
LEFT SPL

5/
170/72
52

55
5/
2 04
CRO W N

048/40
R IG H T S P L

/63
1 85

9
5 /5
2 19
/55

2
16 0

R IG H T I N V E R T

N 350° N 010°

R D (M ) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

R O C K TYP E B I O T I T E G N E I S S W I T H I N T E R M E D I A T E B A N D S O F Q U A R T Z B IO T IT E S C H IS T
S TR E N G TH W E A K T O M O D E R A TE LY S TR O N G STRONG
W E A T H E R IN G S L IG H T L Y W E A T H E R E D FR ESH
SEEPAGE DRY DRY
A V . O R IE N T A T IO N 0 4 5 ° - 5 5 ° / 4 0° - 62° 0 4 2 ° - 4 8 ° / 5 0 °-6 0 °
D 6 - 20 cm 6 - 20 cm
S P A C IN G (c m )
I S M O O T H U N D U LATO R Y
S1 C O N D IT IO N S M O O TH U N D U LA TO R Y
S A P P /F IL L I N G (m m ) G E N E R A L L Y T I G H T W IT H Q U A R T S E M I 1 -5 c m T I G H T W I T H Q U A R T Z V E IN S
C 1 7 5 ° - 1 9 5 ° / 5 5° - 75°
A V . O R IE N T A T IO N IN D I S T IN C T
O -
S2 S P A C IN G (c m ) 6 - 20 cm
N R O U G H IR R E G U LA R -
C O N D IT IO N
T A P P /F IL L I N G (m m ) T IG H T -
I 2 2 5 /55
A V . O R IE N T A T IO N 2 1 0 ° - 2 3 0 ° / 5 5° - 65°
N > 20 cm
S3 S P A C IN G (c m ) 20 cm
U I N D I S T IN C T IN D IS T IN C T R I ?
C O N D IT IO N
I T IG H T
A P P /F IL L I N G (m m ) T IG H T
T 8 - 20
JV 15 - 18 18
I 56
R Q D . (% ) 52 59
E 63
RMR 41 58
S II, G O O D
ROCK CLASS I II , F A IR I I I , F A IR

SCALE
IN D E X
0 1 2 3 4 5 m
0/ 4
5 1 T R A C E O F S 1 D IS C O N T IN U IT Y
03

1 2
T R A C E O F S 2 D IS C O N T IN U IT Y &
1 /2
22 P L A N E D E F IN IN G D R IF T G E O M E T R Y
T R A C E O F S 3 D IS C O N T IN U IT Y &
T E E S T A U R J A L IM I T E D
0
5/7 3
30
P L A N E D E F IN IN G D R IF T G E O M E T R Y
5 T O 1 0 m m . Q U A R T Z V E IN J O IN T
W IT H F IL L IN G T E E S T A S T A G E -II I H .E . P R O J E C T
Q U A R T Z IT E B O IT IT E M IC A S C H IS T
3 D G E O L O G IC A L L O G O F M A T
B IO T IT E G N E IS E S W IT H IN T E R M E D IA T E
B E N D S O F Q U A R T Z B O IT IT E S C H IS T .
D R IF T R D - 0 T O 1 0 M

D R IP P IN G .
E NE R G Y I NFR A T E CH
PRIV A T E LIMITED
J O IN T P L A N E
D r g .N o . R e v :0
 GEOLOGICAL LOG OF DRIFT

LEFT INVERT

095

4°
°- 10

/6
WALL 0° /1

5°
0° 11

14
3°
/6 160°/60 °
3°

°
/ 85
8°

0°
°
8°
°/6

°/85

27
5°
°/6

°
284

/8 0

°/7
/84°

°
100
290
°

°/77
5°
/66

295
8°

10
263°
18

266
1°
LEFT SPL /7
5° 09
0 ° /-
10 ---° DS 15
2 cm 0°
19 0° /8 /4
0° 0°

°
/ 26
5°
09 0°/ 45°

10
°
° /45
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 2 00 7 8 9 8 °/6 8° 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
DS
18
CROWN N 274°
°
18 3°/ 68 163 °/78 °
10 cm

°
°/4 7
RIGHT SPL 200

0 66
30
8°
°/ 7

° /5
3° /7
1 63
05
5 ° /1

04

5°
5°
0°

5°
-5
0°

05
08

25
30

/2

5°
2°

8°
0°

5°/4
/4

/50
DS

/65
1°

4°

°
3 3 0° cm
38 - 28
030
/4 4 ° °/3 0

30
°

281
29

0° /4
29

4°

29 2
°/68
5°/

/5

5°
0°

°/5
55

°
°

1°
RIGHT INVERT
W ALL

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
RD (m)
MOD JOINTED CLOSELY JOINTED
ROCK TYPE MOD JOINTED & SHEARED GRANODIORITE GRANODIORITE GRANODIORITE
STRENGTH STRONG TO VERY STRONG STRONG MED. STRONG TO STRONG
WEATHERING SLIGHTLY WEATHERED SLIGHTLY WEATHERED
SEEPAGE DRY DRY DRY DRIPPING DRY DRY DRIPPING
AVG. ORIENTATION 019°-088°/20°-50°
SPACING (cm) 6 - 20
S1
CONDITION OF JOINTS RU/RP
D
I APPERTURE/FILLING TIGHT SOM ETIM ES SHEARED WITH LEACHING
S AVG. ORIENTATION 280°-330°/40°-60°
C SPACING (cm) 6 - 60
O S2 CONDITION OF JOINTS RU
N
T APPERTURE/FILLING TIGHT
I AVG. ORIENTATION 090°-130°/10°-20°
N SPACING (cm) < 6 - 20
U S3 CONDITION OF JOINTS RU
T
I APPERTURE/FILLING SHEARED
E AVG. ORIENTATION 160°-190°/60°-80°
S SPACING (cm) 20 - 60
S4 CONDITION OF JOINTS RU/RP
APPERTURE/FILLING TIGHT
AVG. ORIENTATION 100°-105°/75°-80°
SPACING (cm) 20 - 60
S5 CONDITION OF JOINTS RU/RP
APPERTURE/FILLING TIGHT
J. V. 20 15 - 18 20 - 25
R.Q.D. 49 59 39
RMR
ROCK CLASS
SPECIAL FEATURE

SCALE:
0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 M

INDEX

Dip Surface of S1 joint plane DEMWE HYDRO ELECTRIC PROJECT

Dip Surface of S3 joint plane 3D GEOLOGICAL LOG OF DAM

AXIS RIGHT BANK LOWER LEVEL
Shear > 10 cm
DRIFT EL. 459 m RD (0 - 15)
Shear < 2 cm ENERGY INFRATECH
PRIVATE LIMITED
Seepage Location
Drg.No. Rev :0
 DATASHEET FOR ROCK QUALITY PARAMETERS

PROJECT LOCATION

Outcrop No.
Set Number
Dip Amount
Dip Direction
Length/Direction
Types of Termination
Joint Description

Persistence (m)
Spacing (cm)
Aperture (mm)
Roughness
Alteration
Type of Filling
Rock Type
Strength
Rock Mass Description

No. of Joint sets

Degree of weathering
Geological Structure
Water Inflow
S.R.F
Block Description
Block Dimension
Jv 3
No. of Joints/M
Remarks

Date: GEOLOGIST
 SLOPE MASS RATING (SMR)

The proposed ‘Slope Mass Rating’ (SMR) is obtained from RMR by subtracting a factorial
adjustment factor depending on the joint slope relationship and adding a factor depending on
the method of excavation.

SMR = RMR (basic) + (F1.F2.F3) + F4

The RMR (see Table 1) is computed according to Bieniawski’s 1979 proposal, adding
rating values for five parameters:

i. Strength of intact rock.

ii. RQD (measured or estimated).
iii. Spacing of discontinuities.
iv. Condition of discontinuities.
v. Water inflow through discontinuities (estimated in the worst possible conditions).
RMR has a total range of 0-100.

The adjustment rating for joints (see table 1) is the product of three factors as follows:

I. F1 depends on parallelism between joints and slope face strikes. Its range is from 1.00
(when both are near parallel) to 0.15 (when the angle between them is more than 300
and the failure probability is very 100). These values were established empirically, but
afterwards were found to approximately match the relationship.

F1 = (1-sin A) 2
Where A denotes the angle between the strikes of the slope face and the joint.

II. F2 refers to joint dip angle in the planar mode of failure. In a sense it is a measure of the
probability of joint shear strength. Its value varies from 1.00 (for joints dipping more
than 450) to 0.15 (for joints dipping less than 200). Also established empirically, it was
found afterwards to match approximately the relationship.

F2 = tg2 βj
Where βj denotes the joint dip angle. For the toppling mode of failure F2 remains 1.00.

III. F3 reflects the relationship between the slope face and joint dip. In the planar mode of
failure F3 refers to the probability that joints ‘daylight’ in the slope face. Conditions are
fair when slope face and joints are parallel. When the slope dips 100 more than joints,
very unfavorable conditions occur.
 The adjustment factor for the method of excavation has been fixed empirically as
follows:

i. Natural slopes are more stable, because of long time erosion and built-in protection
mechanisms (vegetation, crust desiccation, etc.): F4 = +15.
ii. Presplitting increases slope stability for half a class:F4 = ±10.
iii. Smooth blasting, when well done, also increase slope stability: F4 = ±8.
iv. Normal blasting, applied with sound methods, does not change slope stability: F4 = 0.

Table 1: Adjustment Rating for Joints

Case Very Favorable Fair Unfavorable Very

favorable unfavorable
P ‫׀‬αj - αs‫׀‬ >300 300-200 200-100 100-50 50
T ‫( ׀‬αj - αs)1800‫׀‬ -- -- -- -- --
P/T F1 0.15 0.40 0.70 0.85 1.00
P ‫ ׀‬βj ‫׀‬ <200 200-300 300-350 350-450 450
P F2 0.15 0.40 0.70 0.85 1.00
T F2 1 1 1 1 1
P βj – βs >100 0 0
10 -0 00 0 to 100
0
<-100
T βj – βs <1100 1100-1200 >1200 - -
P/T F3 0 -6 -25 -50 -60

NOTE: - P- plane failure; T- toppling failure; αj- joint dip direction; αs- slope dip direction;
βj- joint dip; βs- slope dip

Table 2: Adjustment Rating for Methods of Excavation of Slopes

Method Natural Presplitting Smooth Blasting or Deficient

Slope blasting mechanical blasting

F4 +15 +10 +8 0 -8
 Table 3: Tentative Description of SMR Classes

Class SMR Description Stability Failures Support

I. 81-100 Very good Completely None None
stable
II. 61-80 Good Stable Some blocks Occasional
III. 41-60 Normal Partially stable Some joints or Systematic
many wedges
IV. 21-40 Bad Unstable Planar or big Important/corrective
wedges
V. 0-20 Very bad Completely Big planar or soil - Reexcavation
unstable like