UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

Department of Mining Engineering

BSc Engineering Honours Degree
MIE 211: Rock and Soil Mechanics Final Examination
Time: 3 hours Date: June 2014

Instructions: Answer ALL questions

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Question 1

a. Define rock? (1)

b. What do you understand by the terms rock mechanics and rock engineering.(2)
c. Describe 5 applications of rock engineering and 3 physical properties of rocks. (8)
d. Briefly describe how sedimentary rocks, metamorphic rocks and igneous rocks are
formed. Give an example of each rock type. (9)

Question 2

a. On a typical stress-strain graph sketch and explain linear elasticity, the uniaxial
compressive strength, the uncontrolled brittle failure and the ductile behaviour
portions of the curve and residual strength. (5 marks)
b. On a typical stress / strain graph sketch and explain the effect of confinement on
rock strength and pore pressure effect on the strength of intact rock. (4)
c. A UCS test is conducted on a rock sample with a diameter of 54mm. The force
exerted at failure is 450kN. Calculate the sample’s UCS. (3 marks)
d. A rock sample consisting of a brittle material was placed in a stiff testing machine press
to conduct a UCM (uniaxial compressive with modulus) test. In the post-failure part of
the test, the sample was unloaded and loaded again at two occasions. Conduct each of
the following exercises, providing explanations and showing calculations and sketches
where appropriate. The following information is given:

Original sample 45mm Sample diameter 45.2mm

diameter just prior to yielding

Original sample 90mm Sample height just 88.5mm

height prior to yielding

Applied load 200kN

Calculate Young’s Modulus and Poisson ratio of the sample. (8)

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Question 3

The figure below shows transformation of a stress tensor.

a. At a rotation of ϴ = 300, calculate σx,, σy, and τx,y, (18)

b. Differentiate a tensor and a scalar (2).

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Question 4

a. Show how the stress state in a solid can be described via the stress components
(normal and shear) on an elemental cube of a rock as shown in the diagram below. Also,
show how these components are listed in the stress matrix. (10)

b. What do the components in a row of the stress matrix have in common? (2)
c. What do components in a column of the stress matrix have in common? (2)
d. Why is stress a tensor quantity? (2)
e. What is a principal stress plane? (2)
f. What is a principal stress? (2)

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Question 5

a. Figure below shows a circular excavation at some depth below the ground. Given that p
= 10 MPa and K = 1, ϴ = 300, a = 1m, calculate σϴϴ, σrr, at distances r/a = 1, 2, 3, 4 and
plot the variations on a graph (10)

b. What do you understand by rock mass classification (1)

c. Describe the Q-system as used in rock mass classification (3)
d. Sketch and describe 4 types of rockbolts used in underground mines. (2)
e. With the aid of a diagram describe and explain the Hoek-Brown failure criterion (2)
f. With the aid of a diagram describe and explain the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion (2)