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Rock Mechanics and Engineering
Rock Mechanics and Engineering
Editor
Xia-Ting Feng
Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering,
Wuhan, China
CRC Press/Balkema is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, London, UK
Typeset by Integra Software Services Private Ltd
Printed and bound in Great Britain by Antony Rowe (A CPI-group Company),
Chippenham, Wiltshire
All rights reserved. No part of this publication or the information contained
herein may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, by photocopying, recording or
otherwise, without written prior permission from the publisher.
Although all care is taken to ensure integrity and the quality of this publication
and the information herein, no responsibility is assumed by the publishers nor
the author for any damage to the property or persons as a result of operation
or use of this publication and/or the information contained herein.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Feng, Xia-Ting, editor.
Title: Rock mechanics and engineering / editor, Xia-Ting Feng, Institute of Rock and
Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics
and Geotechnical Engineering, Wuhan, China.
Description: Leiden, The Netherlands ; Boca Raton : CRC Press/Balkema, [2017]– |
Includes bibliographical references and index. Contents: volume 1. Principles
Identifiers: LCCN 2016053708 (print) | LCCN 2017004736 (ebook) |
ISBN 9781138027596 (hardcover : v. 1) | ISBN 9781315364261 (ebook : v. 1)
Subjects: LCSH: Rock mechanics.
Classification: LCC TA706 .R532 2017 (print) | LCC TA706 (ebook) | DDC 624.1/5132–dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016053708
Foreword ix
Introduction xi
Slopes 1
Mining 351
13 Status and prospects of underground thick coal seam mining methods 403
B.K. HEBBLEWHITE
Although engineering activities involving rock have been underway for millennia, we
can mark the beginning of the modern era from the year 1962 when the International
Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM) was formally established in Salzburg, Austria.
Since that time, both rock engineering itself and the associated rock mechanics research
have increased in activity by leaps and bounds, so much so that it is difficult for an
engineer or researcher to be aware of all the emerging developments, especially since
the information is widely spread in reports, magazines, journals, books and the inter-
net. It is appropriate, if not essential, therefore that periodically an easily accessible
structured survey should be made of the currently available knowledge. Thus, we are
most grateful to Professor Xia-Ting Feng and his team, and to the Taylor & Francis
Group, for preparing this extensive 2017 “Rock Mechanics and Engineering” com-
pendium outlining the state of the art—and which is a publication fitting well within the
Taylor & Francis portfolio of ground engineering related titles.
There has previously only been one similar such survey, “Comprehensive Rock
Engineering”, which was also published as a five-volume set but by Pergamon Press
in 1993. Given the exponential increase in rock engineering related activities and
research since that year, we must also congratulate Professor Feng and the publisher
on the production of this current five-volume survey. Volumes 1 and 2 are concerned
with principles plus laboratory and field testing, i.e., understanding the subject and
obtaining the key rock property information. Volume 3 covers analysis, modelling and
design, i.e., the procedures by which one can predict the rock behaviour in engineering
practice. Then, Volume 4 describes engineering procedures and Volume 5 presents a
variety of case examples, both these volumes illustrating ‘how things are done’. Hence,
the volumes with their constituent chapters run through essentially the complete
spectrum of rock mechanics and rock engineering knowledge and associated activities.
In looking through the contents of this compendium, I am particularly pleased that
Professor Feng has placed emphasis on the strength of rock, modelling rock failure,
field testing and Underground Research Laboratories (URLs), numerical modelling
methods—which have revolutionised the approach to rock engineering design—and
the progression of excavation, support and monitoring, together with supporting case
histories. These subjects, enhanced by the other contributions, are the essence of our
subject of rock mechanics and rock engineering. To read through the chapters is not
only to understand the subject but also to comprehend the state of current knowledge.
I have worked with Professor Feng on a variety of rock mechanics and rock engineer-
ing projects and am delighted to say that his efforts in initiating, developing and seeing
through the preparation of this encyclopaedic contribution once again demonstrate his
x Foreword
flair for providing significant assistance to the rock mechanics and engineering subject
and community. Each of the authors of the contributory chapters is also thanked: they
are the virtuosos who have taken time out to write up their expertise within the
structured framework of the “Rock Mechanics and Engineering” volumes. There is
no doubt that this compendium not only will be of great assistance to all those working
in the subject area, whether in research or practice, but it also marks just how far the
subject has developed in the 50+ years since 1962 and especially in the 20+ years since
the last such survey.
Editor
Xia-Ting Feng
President of the International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM) 2011–2015
July 4, 2016
Slopes
Chapter 1
Abstract: Kinematic analysis is one of the most used methods to evaluate potential
failures such as planar, wedge and toppling in rock slopes. To analyze possible failure
types, orientations of slope and discontinuity geometry with the friction angle of the
discontinuities planes are used. In this study, kinematical analyses were evaluated to
obtain discontinuity controlled potential failure types in the Gumushane Granitoid
Complex which is exposed in Gumushane City and the surroundings. Unstable slope
orientations for planar, wedge and toppling failure types were determined.
The unstable orientations obtained from kinematic analyses were used to create
Geographic Information System (GIS) based instability risk maps. The maps generated
by the GIS were evaluated using the Fuzzy Interference System (FIS) method to produce
instability risk maps for the study area.
1 INTRODUCTION
Stability analyses in rock slopes are carried out routinely in many engineering studies
such as mining, construction and geotechnical projects. The main objectives of these
stability analyses can be listed as follows:
• Determination of rock slope stability conditions,
• Researching the potential failure mechanisms,
• Determination of the factors that affect the stability of slopes,
• Carrying out optimum and safe slope designs,
• Determination and testing of different support and enhancement methods.
Various methods such as kinematic analyses, limit equilibrium method and numer-
ical analyses are used today for evaluating rock slope stability. However, the
potential failure type, terrain conditions as well as the weak and strong aspects
of the preferred method should be taken into account when selecting the analysis
method to be used.
In this study, kinematic analyses have been carried out to determine the possible
failure types that might occur due to discontinuities in the area where the Gumushane
Granitoid Complex is exposed (Figure 1) and to determine the orientations that such
failures can occur. The results obtained from kinematic analyses have been evaluated
4 Gurocak et al.
via Geographical Information System (GIS) and Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) methods
and risk maps have been generated for the study area.
The studies have been carried out in three stages. In the first stage, the main orienta-
tions and the shear strengths of joints have been determined. To this end, orientation
measurements were obtained from the joints and these joint orientations were evalu-
ated using the Dips v5.1 (Rocscience, 2002) software after which the main orientations
of joints were determined. Whereas the shear strength of the joints was determined
according to the method suggested by Barton & Choubey (1977).
In the second stage, the results obtained from field and laboratory works were
evaluated using Dips v5.1 (Rocscience, 2002) software and kinematic analyses were
performed for planar, wedge and toppling failures to determine the orientations of
unstable orientations of slope. In the final stage, the results obtained from kinematic
analyses were used to generate GIS based instability risk maps and the obtained maps
were evaluated according to the FIS method after which instability risk map was
generated for the study area.
The Pontide Orogenic Belt of Turkey is located in the middle sections of the Alpine-
Himalaya Orogenic Belt. The eastern portion of it, which is also known as the
Discontinuity controlled slope failure zoning for a granitoid complex 5
Eastern Pontides, has been divided into Northern Zone and Southern subzones by
researchers according to the lithological and structural properties of the exposed
units. In the Southern Zone including the study area, metamorphic, magmatic and
sedimentary rocks that have formed during time intervals varying from Late
Paleozoic to Quaternary crop out in the study area (Figure 2).
The oldest rocks in the region are the Early Carboniferous Pulur and Kurtoglu
Metamorphic Complexes aged Early Carboniferous (Topuz et al., 2004, 2007).
These metamorphic complexes include many different metamorphic rocks that vary
in origin from continental rocks to oceanic rocks (Dokuz et al., 2011, 2015).
Middle Carboniferous Kose-Gumushane Granitoid complexes that settle by cutting
the Pulur-Kurtoglu Metamorphic Complex mostly consist of continental crust based
granodiorite and granite and less of quartz diorite, quartz monzonite, spherulitic dacite
and riolites (Topuz et al., 2010; Dokuz, 2011). Aplitic dikes are also observed in
granitic complexes. This study is focused on the Late Carboniferous Gumushane
Granitoid Complex, which includes at least 4 or 5 well developed joint sets.
The Early-Middle Jurassic Senkoy Formation unconformably covers the
Carboniferous basement rocks. It starts at the base with the basal conglomerate con-
sisting of quartzite and granite pebbles and the carbonous intermediate level sand-
stones that are on top of them. Red limestones with macro-fossil (Ammonitico Rosso
facies) lie on top of these (Kandemir & Yilmaz, 2009). Overlying is a sequence consisting
of volcanic-clastic pebble, sandstone, siltstone and marl interbedded with various basic
volcanic rocks (tuff, tuffite, andesite, spilitic basalt and pyroclastics) (Dokuz & Tanyolu,
2006). In places, cherty limestones and basalts are also observed within the unit (Dokuz
et al., 2006; Sen, 2007).
The Late Jurassic – Early Cretaceous aged Berdiga Formation that creates a key
stratigraphic horizon in the Eastern Pontides conformably covers the Senkoy
Formation unconformably. The unit begins at the base with medium to thick bedded
and partly massive dolomitic limestones (Vörös & Kandemir, 2011). Upward it con-
tains pebble, sandstone and siltstone and ends with dolomitic limestone (Koch et al.,
2008). Chert nodules are observed in places within the unit. The Berdiga Formation can
easily be separated from the other sedimentary units in the region due to its hard
topography, thick layered and massive structure and gray, off-white, yellowish and
beige colors. The formation is conformably covered by the Late Cretaceous
Kermutdere Formation.
The Late Cretaceous Kermutdere Formation attracts attention with its thin-medium
bedding, light greenish color and soft topographic appearance (Saydam, 2002).
The Kermutdere Formation starts at the base with yellow sandy limestone and upward
continues with red micritic limestone, red sandstone, siltstone and marl as the guiding
level (Saydam & Korkmaz, 2011). These rocks are covered by a turbiditic succession that
consists of alternating gray pebblestone, sandstone, siltstone, marl and claystone
sequences. In parts, micro conglomeratic levels are also observed within the unit in
parts (Dokuz & Tanyolu, 2006).
There is also a second a granitic body inside the study area that cuts the Gumushane
Granitoid Complex. This body radiometrically has not been dated yet, but its age is
given as Late Cretaceous-Eocene based on the stratigraphical position of the similar
intrusive bodies to the further north (Guven, 1993). Such intrusive bodies become
dominant in the areas to the north (Kaygusuz et al., 2008; Karsli et al., 2010a).
The Middle Eocene is represented by Alibaba Formation, which starts at the base
with sandstone and tuffite interbedded with nummulitic limestones. Upward the unit
continues with andesite, basalt and associated pyroclastic rocks and ends with lime-
stone, sandstone, marl tuff alternation (Arslan & Aliyazicioglu, 2001). The formation
non-conformably covers the Kermutdere Formation as well as the Late Paleocene-Early
Eocene adakitic stocks (Karsli et al., 2010b, Dokuz et al., 2013). Younger rocks are
located at the northern zone of the Pontides (Aydin et al., 2008).
The youngest units of the region are composed of Quaternary aged hill slope wash
and alluviums. Slope wash has sprung forth from the older units that have been exposed
and consists of elements with different dimensions and is exposed especially on the
hills. Whereas alluvium consists of well-rounded elements at river beds with clay, sand,
pebble and block dimension.
Discontinuity controlled slope failure zoning for a granitoid complex 7
Orientation of discontinuities and shear strength are two parameters that play
important roles in the development of instabilities that develop due to disconti-
nuity surfaces. These two parameters are used as input parameters in rock slope
analyses such as kinematic analysis, limit equilibrium analysis. Hence, the main
orientations of the discontinuities in the rock as well as shear strengths have to be
determined.
3.1 Orientation
Discontinuity orientation is expressed as the position in space of a discontinuity
surface and is defined by the dip and dip direction of the surface. The measurements
taken directly from the rock mass using geologist compass is evaluated via the
contour diagrams prepared to test this method using stereographic projection
method and the main orientations of the discontinuity sets contained within the
rock mass are determined. Generally, stereonets with lower hemisphere and equal-
angle are used.
In this study, a total of 1797 orientation measurement taken from the joints of
Gumushane Granitoide Complex were evaluated in accordance with the methods
suggested by ISRM (2007) using Dips v5.1 software (Rocscience, 2002) and main
orientations of the joint sets were determined (Figure 3, Table 1). As can be seen
from Figure 3, Gumushane Granitoide Complex includes 5 joint sets in general and has
joints with random orientation.
Here;
τ = Shear strength,
ϕb = Basic friction angle of discontinuity,
σn = Normal stress on the discontinuity plane,
JRC = Discontinuity roughness coefficient, and
JCS = Strength of the discontinuity surface.
This equality was then revised by Barton & Choubey (1977) and the shear strength of
discontinuities was expressed as;
JCS
τ ¼ σn tan fr þ JRClog ð2Þ
σn
Where,
ϕb = Basic friction angle of discontinuity,
R = Schmidt rebound hammer hardness value of the fresh surface, and
r = Schmidt rebound hammer hardness value of the weathered surface.
In this study, Equation 2 suggested by Barton & Choubey (1977) has been used to
determine the shear strength of the discontinuities in Gumushane Granitoid Complex.
Nine block samples collected from the Gumushane Granitoid Complex were cut in the
dimensions of (6 × 6 × 1cm) in order to determine the basic friction angle (ϕb) which were
then smoothed out and three shear experiments were carried out for each sample set
under different normal strain. The basic friction angle (ϕb) has been determined using the
Normal stress (σ) – Shear stress (τ) graphs drawn using the data of shear experiments.
Discontinuity roughness coefficient (JRC) has been determined as a result of the
comparison of the roughness profiles obtained during field studies via Barton’s comb
with the standard roughness profiles suggested by Barton & Choubey (1977).
Whereas, the strength of the discontinuity surface was determined using the Schmidt
hardness values obtained from discontinuity planes and unit weight of the rock with the
chart suggested by Deere & Miller (1966).
The unit weight of the rock was determined in accordance with ISRM (2007)
standards at the laboratory using shaped samples. Another parameter used in the
calculation is slope height (H). Slope height is an important parameter of slope design
and varies according to the engineering work that will be carried out. However, the
H value in this study has been accepted as 15 m by assuming that the maximum slope
height that can be applied in practice is about 15 m.
The values of parameters obtained from field and laboratory studies were used as
input parameter for the RocData computer software (Rocscience, 2004) and the
internal friction angle of the discontinuities was calculated on average as 36.43°.
The parameters used in the calculation can be seen in Table 2.
4 KINEMATICAL ANALYSES
When the failures in the rock slopes are considered, it is observed that the failures occur
mostly due to structural elements in the rock mass that are defined as discontinuities
such as joint, layering, fault, shear fractures. Kinematic analysis method is widely
10 Gurocak et al.
Planar failure
According to Hoek & Bray (1981) and Norrish & Wyllie (1996) the following geome-
trical conditions must be provided for planar failure on a single plane to occur (Figure 4):
• The dip direction of discontinuity (αp) must be within ±20 degrees of the dip
direction of slope face (αf),
Figure 4 Kinematic and geometric conditions for planar failure (Norrish & Wyllie, 1996).
Discontinuity controlled slope failure zoning for a granitoid complex 11
• The dip of discontinuity (Ψp) must be less than the dip of slope face (Ψf), and
• The dip of discontinuity (Ψp) must be greater than the friction angle of failure
plane ϕ.
Also, the lateral extent of the potential failure mass must be isolated by lateral release
surfaces which free a block for sliding. This is the requirement that reduces the like-
lihood of planar failure occurrence.
Wedge failure
Wedge failures result when a rock mass slides along two intersecting discontinuities
both of which dip out of the cut slope at an oblique angle to the cut face, forming
a wedge-shaped block. According to Hoek & Bray (1981) and Norrish & Wyllie
(1996), three conditions are required for wedge failures to occur, as shown in
Figure 5:
• The azimuth of line of intersection (αi) must be similar to the dip direction of slope
face (αf),
• The plunge of line of intersection (Ψi) must be less than the dip of slope face (Ψf),
• The plunge of line of intersection (Ψi) must be greater than the friction angle of
failure plane (ϕ).
On the stereographic projection, the point of intersection of the two great circles
representing plane A and plane B must plot within the critical area, which is called
the daylight zone, and lies on the convex side of the cut slope.
Figure 5 Kinematic and geometric conditions for wedge failure (Norrish & Wyllie, 1996).
12 Gurocak et al.
Toppling failure
According to Goodman & Bray (1976) and Goodman (1980), the necessary conditions
for toppling failure are as follows (Figure 6):
• The difference between the strikes of discontinuity and slope face must be + 30°
or −30°,
• The pole of the discontinuity must plot within the critical area, and
• The following equation must be provided;
ð90 Cp Þ ≤ Cf þ ð4Þ
In this study, kinematic analyses were carried out to determine the slope orientations
for which planar, wedge and toppling type failures might occur due to the joints of
Gumushane Granitoid Complex and the slope orientations for which these failures
might occur have been given in Table 3.
Figure 6 Kinematic and geometric conditions for toppling failure (Norrish & Wyllie, 1996).
The requirement to manage large amounts of spatial data effectively has made it obliga-
tory to get computer support and thus Geographical Information Systems (GIS) have
come to the forefront. Even though there are many different definitions according to
different perspectives (Maguire, 1991) the GIS can be defined with a general approach as
“the total of software and hardware elements designed for the management of a spatial
database” (Lee & Zhang, 1989). The GIS was first developed during the beginning of the
1960s which started to gain popularity after the 1980s following the advancements in
computer technology (Malczewski, 2004). Today, it is used as an effective tool in many
fields from engineering and planning activities to tourism and marketing.
Using the extensive analysis options provided by the GIS, it is possible to make rapid
and practical deductions for much wider areas with the same or similar properties based
on the data obtained from certain locations. While this opportunity is generally used in
geology engineering discipline to prepare landslide susceptibility and risk maps (Carrara
et al., 1991, 1995; Gokceoglu & Aksoy, 1996; Gokceoglu et al., 2000; Irigaray et al.,
2003; Guzzetti et al., 2004; Ayalew & Yamagishi, 2004; Yilmaz, 2007; Akgun & Bulut,
2007; Pradhan, 2010; Gao et al., 2011; Yilmaz et al., 2012), in this study it was used to
generate rock slope instability maps.
The objective of this study was to generate instability maps for toppling, planar and
wedge type failures in the area at which the Gumushane Granitoid Complex spreads by
taking the limit values determined via kinematic analysis method as basis. Since the input
for instability maps are slope and aspect maps, first the digital elevation model (DEM) of
the study area was generated using 1/25000 scale digital topographic maps (Figure 7),
after which slope (Figure 8) and aspect (Figure 9) maps were generated from this DEM.
However, since different limit values are present for each instability type, the slope and
aspect maps were reclassification for each instability type.
No weighting was applied to the slope parameter and only instability was consid-
ered. For this reason, the slope index map was reclassified for different instability
types; on the map, the value assigned for the pixels with values lower than the limit
value of the relevant instability type (stable) is “0” and that for other pixels (instable)
is “1”.
Since weighting was applied for orientation parameters, the aspect maps were
reclassified on the basis of sets of joints or joint intersections so that the stable areas
took the value of “0” and instable areas took a value that linearly varies between “1”
and “100” for each type of instability. Since multiple aspect maps were obtained as
a result of reclassifications by sets of joint for each instability type, these aspect maps
were overlaid through fuzzy overlay analysis and “or” method to generate final
weighted aspect maps for each instability type. The analysis used for this purpose is
based on comparison of the maps pixel by pixel to assign the maximum value to the
output map.
Given that the instability occurs only when the limit values for both slope and
orientation parameters concur, the instability maps were derived from slope and aspect
maps by application of “map algebra multiplication” function. As a result of these
functions the instability maps weighted for orientation parameter that indicate instabil-
ity areas according to slope and orientation parameters were obtained. The procedure
followed for generation of the instability maps as well as the instability maps obtained
are given in the Figures 10–15.
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Rumores de actualidad, política, administración, modas,
gastronomía, temperatura, negocios, calidad y dinero, gustos, el
boquerón del Muelle... de todo se habla y sobre todo se discute, y, lo
que es peor, nadie se entiende.
Así las cosas, dan las doce y media, y entran algunos de los que
salieron á las nueve. Con este refuerzo, más el de tal cual perezoso
que vuelve de los jardines de la Alameda, ávido de conversación, la
controversia, ó mejor dicho, las controversias van subiendo de
temperatura; crece la gritería, aumenta la confusión, y el alboroto de
la tertulia acaba por parecerse al de una jauría de sabuesos en la
pista de un cervatillo.
Mientras tú, en tan breves como duras é inútiles palabras, llamas al
orden á la tertulia, discurren por delante de la puerta ciertas
parroquianas, esperando á «que se larguen los ociosos». De éstas
puede asegurarse, juzgando piadosamente, que contrabandean; es
decir, que quieren polvos de arroz ó vinagrillo... ó son
excesivamente modestas, tienen mala dentadura, peor mano ó
cualquiera de esos defectos ostensibles que obligan á vivir á las
mujeres presumidas un término más atrás que sus semejantes, por
no patentizarse con todos sus detalles naturales.
Óyese al fin la una; y lo que no han podido conseguir ruegos ni
amenazas, lo alcanza, si bien poco á poco, el recuerdo de la sopa
humeando sobre la mesa de cada tertuliano: despejar la tienda.
Media hora después se cierra ésta, que, al cabo, logró diez minutos
de calma y de soledad, que aprovechan algunas pudibundas
parroquianas necesitadas.
Por la tarde, desde las dos y media, hora en que vuelve á abrirse,
hasta las tres, apenas la visita nadie más que los mismos pinches
de las ocho y media, de paso para sus escritorios; y ya no entra en
carácter hasta el anochecer, hora en la cual se reviste de una
gravedad inalterable. La tertulia del crepúsculo la forman el apacible
y prudente señor mayor, de vuelta del muelle de Maliaño ó de los
Cuatro-Caminos; el viejo canónigo después que, aburrido de pasear
en los claustros de la catedral, tomó su pocillo de aromático
chocolate; el atribulado cesante, el militar retirado, el joven juicioso,
ó «buen muchacho», que tiene la manía de la higiene pública ó de la
policía urbana; el veterano catedrático de humanidades; el orondo
rentista... y no pocas veces el gobernador civil, ó el militar, ó el
alcalde... ó los tres juntos. El fondo de la conversación entonces es
grave y filosófico, y rara vez se localiza una cuestión si el joven
juicioso no hace una excursión por los presupuestos del municipio ó
el empedrado de la capital ó tal otro ramo del ornato público,
convencido de que con éstas y otras análogas materias es con lo
que se prueban y se patentizan una razón bien sentada, una
inteligencia exquisita y una formalidad venerable.
Esta pacífica reunión dura hasta poco después de anochecido. Una
hora más tarde en el invierno, y dos en el verano, se cierra la tienda,
excepto las noches de baile de lustre, en el cual caso la Guantería
permanece abierta hasta que ha provisto sus elegantes
superficialidades el último invitado ó contribuyente á la fiesta.—
Desde que salen los señores de la tertulia grave hasta que se cierra
la tienda, rara vez se presenta en ella cuadro que llame la atención:
el tendero de al lado, el boticario de enfrente, el peluquero de más
arriba... gente toda apreciabilísima, pero que, cansada de bregar
con sus parroquianos, sólo desea el reposo y la quietud.—Esta
ocasión es la que suele aprovechar el guantero para hacer en sus
libros el balance del día, porque el guantero es hombre que lleva así
sus cuentas, á fuer de honrado y precavido.
IV
Además de los pormenores apuntados, que son los más
característicos, diariamente, de la Guantería, deben consignarse
también, como entremeses variables hasta lo infinito, algunos otros,
verbigracia: el corredor que pide un fósforo y toma asiento durante
dos minutos para respirar; el forastero que desea saber dónde se
venden buenas langostas de mar ó ron puro de Jamaica; el pollo
desatentado ó la doncella pizpireta que preguntan cuándo es, ó por
qué se ha suspendido el baile, el baile de campo, de cuya sociedad
es el guantero administrador, más que administrador, el alma y la
inteligencia, la varita mágica que allana las dificultades, reclutando
socios, extendiendo circulares, invitando á forasteros, procurando
orquesta y servidores, y transformando en un edén en breves días el
ya, de suyo, bello jardín de la calle de Vargas; la oficiosa señora que
indaga por quién tocan á paso, ó de quién es el bautizo, ó á quién
han dado el Viático; el cartero mismo que quiere averiguar en qué
calle y en qué casa vive la persona cuyo nombre, sin más señas,
contiene el sobre de una carta recién llegada, ¡y qué sé yo cuánto
más! porque la Guantería es una agencia universal, y su dueño una
guía de viajeros, un libro de empadronamientos, un registro de
policía, en punto á datos y curiosidades locales.
Consideremos ahora el mentidero en día de fiesta, y ejemplo al
canto.
Son las doce de la mañana: la concurrencia, no cabiendo en la
tienda, invade el portal inmediato y parte de la calle. La sesión está
fraccionada en grupos que apenas logran oirse, en fuerza de lo
mucho que gritan. En uno, la joven América, vestida á la europea,
se afana porque le comprenda su teoría sobre la comenencia de la
infusión de razas, un jurisconsulto de gran volumen, que, olvidando
la severidad del Digesto, y sin negar al indiano la oportunidad de su
descurso, acaba por hacerle creer que Bezana se llamó Bucefalonia
en tiempo de los romanos; la ciencia de Hipócrates, dejando sus
rancios aforismos, predica higiene moderna, y haciendo
aplicaciones al bello sexo, vacila entre el zapato de charol con moña
y las botinas de marrón; un procurador le arguye contra los escotes
de los trajes de baile, y aun de paseo en verano, y un mayorazgo,
dueño de una gran huerta, sostiene lo contrario, porque piensa
explotar las hojas de sus higueras, en día no lejano, si los vestidos
no dan en subir al paso que van bajando; el matrimonio anda en un
rincón á merced de un meritorio con cinco hijos, que le defiende, y
de un mal humorado que le acribilla; la hacienda pública se arregla
más allá con los cálculos de un desarreglado que jamás pudo
establecer en su casa el orden y la economía; el arte dramático
moderno perece bajo las iras de un erudito que no distingue la prosa
del verso más que por el tamaño de los renglones; la religión, la
política, el baile, tienen allí también su grupo de competentes, sin
que le falten, por supuesto, al comercio, cuyo grano merece la
preferencia de ciertos hombres de chapa, siempre y en todas partes.
Entre tanto, tú, mi buen amigo, detrás del mostrador, pides, ya que
no parroquianos, cuya entrada es imposible, un poco de luz para
clasificar los guantes que en horas anteriores has desparramado por
servir á algún precavido consumidor; pero ni luz ni parroquia te
conceden los que, en el egoísmo de su deleite, se curan muy poco
del daño que te hacen.
De pronto se revuelven las masas, ábrese un angosto sendero, y, á
toda fuerza de puños y caderas, avanza hasta el mostrador una
robusta pasiega. La imprudente ama de cría desenvuelve ante el
concurso una tira informe y deshilada, y pide un par igual, pero «que
alargue y encoja».
—¿Para quién son?—pregunta un curioso, rollizo y alegrote, movido
de no sé qué sentimiento.
—Para la señorita,—contesta la montaraz nodriza, sin sospechar el
cúmulo de deducciones que pudieran desprenderse de este solo
dato. Ignora la desdichada que, como al naturalista le basta un
diente hallado en un basurero para saber el género, la especie, la
edad, la estatura y otra porción de circunstancias del animal á que
perteneció, á un ocioso de la Guantería le sobra una liga vieja
para... ¡bah, yo lo creo!
La animación de la concurrencia crece con este motivo (no el de la
liga, sino el de los empellones de la pasiega); ésta se amosca,
lanzando por su bendita boca más rayos y centellas que una
tempestad; y tú, que necesitas ya muy poco para estallar, empiezas
á tratar de «usted» á la reunión, detalle terrible que suele preceder á
tu tardío, pero imponente enojo, concluyendo... por largarte á la calle
por la puerta falsa, cerrando la principal, en la imposibilidad de
arrojar á los demás fuera de la tienda. ¡Ejemplo sublime! Dos
minutos después no queda un ocioso en la Guantería. Vuelves
entonces á entrar en ella, abres la puerta de la calle, respiras con
ansia, vas á lanzar una exclamación de sorpresa al encontrar el
local libre y despejado, y antes que despliegues los labios, te ves
envuelto en la misma muchedumbre de marras. Pero tu fisonomía
se halla ya serena, tu voz firme y segura, y en tu pecho no queda el
más leve enojo hacia los invasores. Y ¿cómo tan repentino cambio?
¿Consiste en que la frecuencia de esas escenas te ha
acostumbrado á mirarlas con indiferencia, ó en que, en la
imposibilidad de corregir á tanto incorregible, te resignas á sus
vandálicos atropellos? No, seguramente: es que los breves
momentos en que te ves solo detrás del mostrador, te hacen
extranjero en tu propia casa, te entristecen y te afectan hasta el
extremo de que ofrezcas, en tus adentros, la mejor caja de guantes
por el peor de tus amigos. Porque no puedes vivir sin su presencia;
tú me lo has confesado más de una vez: te son tan necesarios como
á nosotros la Guantería.
No la cierres nunca, Juan, aun cuando la fortuna te persiga más allá
de tus ambiciones, ó no te respondo de los resultados. ¿Qué sería
de nosotros si al salir un día de casa nos hallásemos esa puerta
cerrada? Mediten un poco sobre este punto mis contertulios. La
Guantería, como la salud, no se sabe lo que vale hasta que se ha
perdido.
En una ocasión, y por un motivo que no quiero recordarte por no
afligir tu corazón de padre, hallé cerrada la puerta ¡caso inaudito! en
un día de trabajo. Nunca, hasta entonces, había reparado yo en el
aspecto de los sillares de aquella puerta, desnudos de las
charoladas hojas que de ordinario los revisten; jamás me pareció la
calle de la Blanca más larga, más silenciosa, más triste. Llegaron
varios contertulios; pasmáronse, como yo, ante tal espectáculo, y
mustios y cabizbajos dímonos á vagar por la población. Sobronos el
tiempo, aburrímonos en todas partes, y tornamos á casa en el
mayor desaliento. Tres días sin Guantería, y comprendo en
Santander hasta la revolución.
Así, pues, Juan incomparable, explota, estruja tu establecimiento
famoso mientras lo necesites para provecho de tus hijos y sostén de
tu familia; pero si, como he dicho ya, llegaran sus productos á
colmar tus modestas ambiciones, antes de cerrarle considera que es
indispensable para tu gloria y deleite de tus infinitos amigos; y ya
que, á pesar de su utilidad patente y preclara historia, no le declare
el Gobierno monumento nacional, ilustre Senado montañés, quede
siempre abierto para que los futuros santanderienses aprendan allí,
como nosotros, á ser excelentes ciudadanos y tan buenos amigos
como lo es tuyo el que, en prueba de ello, te dedica estos renglones.
1869.
NOTAS:
[2] Este artículo, que se reproduce á instancias de varias
personas que le conocían, se publicó muchos años hace en un
periódico de esta capital. Tiempo después se rehizo con objeto
de incluirle en uno de los libros del autor, propósito que no llegó á
realizarse por causas que no importan un rábano á los lectores;
pero sírvales á éstos de gobierno que hoy se publica tal cual
entonces quedó restaurado, y tengan en cuenta los años que van
corridos cuando su excesiva malicia ó nimia escrupulosidad les
lleve á investigar el por qué de ciertos casos y cosas que en el
esbozo aparecen, y acaso no se ven ya en el original.—(N. de la
ed. de 1876).
EL PEOR BICHO