GEO SCIENCE

Unit 2
ROCKS
ROCKS – AGGREGATE OF MINERALS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
IGNEOUS CLASSIFICATION
SEDIMENTARY ROCK
 Sandstone
Shale

Breccia Limestone
Conglomerate
How to identify physically?
METAMORPHIC ROCK
METAMORPHIC ROCKS
METAMORPHIC ROCKS
ROCK CYCLE
Normal Fault
Geomorphology in Rock cycle
RIVER
OXBOW LAKE
Engineering Properties of Rocks
 Intact Rock Properties
• Determined from laboratory tests on samples
collected from site .
• Common engineering properties obtained from lab
tests include specific gravity, compressive strength,
tensile strength, shear strength, modulus of
elasticity and durability.
Rock mass Properties
• These are determined by visual examination and
description of discontinuities within the rock mass.
• It should follow the suggested methodology of
International Society of Rock Mechanics.
 Common Properties of Rocks
• Specific Gravity
• Density
• Porosity
• Absorption
• Modulus of Elasticity
• Poisson's ratio
 Strength of Rocks
• Resistance against deformation
• Maximum resistance against compression.
• Rock strength mainly depends on its mineral
composition.
– Quartz is most strongest goes over 500 MPa.
– Ferromagnesian range between 200 to 500 MPa.
– Calcite from 10 to 20 MPa.
– Higher the quartz content, more is the strength
Point Load Test
Brazilian Tensile
Test
 Rock Mass Properties
• In lab, only small portion of volume of rock is
been tested for rock properties which is not
the representation of the in-situ rocks where
the structures are built.
• Hence the rock mass properties for design of
engineering structures should be estimated.
• Geomechanics classification developed by
Bieniawski (1974) based on rock mass rating
is used
 ROCK MASS RATING
• Classification system for rocks, used for the
design and construction of excavations in rock,
such as tunnels, mines, slopes and foundations.
• The following six parameters are used to classify
a rock mass using the RMR system
Uniaxial compressive strength of rock material
Rock quality designation (RQD)
Spacing of discontinuities
Condition of discontinuities
Groundwater conditions
Orientation of discontinuities
 Rock Quality Designation
• RQD is a measure of quality of rock core taken from a
borehole.
• Signifies the degree of jointing or fracture in a rock
mass measured in percentage, where RQD of 75% or
more shows good quality hard rock and less than 50%
show low quality weathered rocks.
• RQD is calculated by taking a rock core sample from a
borehole and lengths of all sound rock pieces which are
minimum 100 mm long are summed up and are
divided by the length of the core run.
• Pieces of rocks whose lengths are not greater than
100mm are not considered for calculation of RQD.