THE COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF MINES & MINERAL SCIENCES

MINING ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

MI 410 – Principles of Rock Mechanics Date: 26th January, 2021

Assignment 1 Date Due: 15th February, 2021

Instructions: Answer both questions.

Q1. A square rock pillar 4.0m high and with 15.0m long sides is in a state of uniaxial
compression vertically. Given that the rock has a Young’s modulus of 41.5x106kN/m2
and a Poisson’s ratio of 0.26, determine the magnitude of the uniaxial stress acting on the
pillar if after a few days it is noticed that the width of the pillar has increased by
0.032cm. (25 marks)

Q2. After a structural mapping was carried out for a rock slope where either plane failure or
wedge failure was likely, the following information pertaining to the relevant structural
features was obtained;

Feature Dip direction Dip

Slope face 2000
500
Joint 1 1900 360
Joint 2 2340 800
Joint 3 400 800
Joint 4 3240 700
Joint 5 2200 600

If the angle of internal friction for the rock mass was established to be 30 0, identify the
blocks that would slide on planes. (25 marks)
Q3. A pit slope of dip direction and dip of 270 0 and 600 respectively is intersected by five
sets of persistent planar discontinuities with orientations tabled below;

Joint set Dip direction Dip

1 120o 80o
2 200o 62o
3 150o 72o
4 240o 40o
5 310o 20o

(i). If all the discontinuities have shear strength parameters of cohesion = 0, i.e.
cohesionless and angle of internal friction = 35o, List the blocks that are likely to
experience wedge failure. (15 marks)

(ii). For the blocks identified in question 1 above (Q1), state the likely directions of
failure. (10 marks)

Q4. After a structural mapping was carried out for a rock mass where an underground pump
chamber was to be located, the following information pertaining to the relevant structural
features was obtained;

Feature Dip direction Dip

Joint L 190 0
360
Joint M 2340 800
Joint N 400 800
Joint R 3240 700
Joint P 2200 600

If the internal angle of friction for the rock mass was 45 0, determine the kinematic
feasibility for the delineated blocks and list any blocks that would be stable. Assume all
the joints are cohesionless. (25 marks)